Wasim hails team's collective effort during tour (23 February 1999)

23 February 1999

Wasim hails team's collective effort during tour

Muhammad Yaqoob

LAHORE, Feb22: The Pakistan cricket team captain, manager and coach attributed the success of the tour to the team spirit, collective efforts of the team-management and players.

Talking to journalists on arrival at the Lahore Airport from India with team, Wasim Akram said that the credit goes to all the players who rose to the occasion and produced their best.

While replying to a question, Wasim Akram called his decision of batting first in the first match of the Asian Test Championship at Calcutta as correct in which Pakistan took a sluggish start of six for 26.

"This was not my personal decision as it was taken with the consultation of other top brass of the team management," Akram claimed.

He admitted that some Pakistani batsmen were passing through bad patch, but added "I am hopeful they will soon return to form".

Wasim Akram said that off-spinner Arshad Khan was called from Pakistan for the Calcutta Test, to be at the safer end, but the pitch did not allow him (Akram) to play with two spinners.

He said that crowd was sporting at Chennai where the first match of the two-Test series was played.

Wasim Akram avoided making any prediction about the second tie of the Asian Test Championship (ATC) against Sri Lanka, to be played at the Gaddafi Stadium from March 4.

Team manager Shaharyar Khan said that unsporting attitude of the crowd on the final day of the ATC Test at Calcutta was not against the Pakistan team but was against the Indian side.

"The crowd was protesting against the reckless performances of the Indian cricketers in that match and were not against Pakistani players," said the manager.

To a question he said that the decision of appointing neutral umpires for the ATC had paid-off. However, he said that some wrong decisions were also given by the neutral umpires butthose were unintentional.

To yet another question, Shaharyar Khan said that the pitch of the Feroze Shah Kotla ground where the second Test was played was not well prepared after it had been damaged.

He called the tour an exciting one as fortune had been fluctuating every day in each match. He praised Wasim Akram for handling the team affairs boldly during tense moments.

He hailed the attitude of the Indian public on and off the field.

Coach and celebrated Test cricketer Javed Miandad who was reluctant to speak with the Press said that overall the tour was a good one and built the confidence of the team.

A small crowd of lovers of the game was present at the airport to welcome the Pakistan team.

Moin Khan, Shahid Afridi and Nadeem Khan left for Karachi by the next connecting flight. The following are the names of the Pakistan team and officials who arrived from India:

Team: Wasim Akram (C), Saeed Anwar, Naveed Qureshi, Wajahatullah Wasti, Ijaz Ahmad, Salim Malik, Yousuf Youhana, Shahid Afridi, Moin Khan, Waqar Younis, Azhar Mahmood, Arshad Khan, Saqlain Mushtaq, Shoaib Akhtar, Nadeem Khan,

Manager: Shaharyar Khan
Coach: Javed Miandad
Physiotherapist: Dr Dan Kiesel

Source :: Dawn (https://dawn.com/)