Waqar resigns as Pakistan coach

LAHORE — Pakistan’s head coach Waqar Younis resigned Monday weeks after his team’s humiliating exit from the World Twenty20 tournament at the group stage. The 2009 champion had been widely blasted by fans following a lackluster performance with just one victory against lowly ranked Bangladesh and big losses to India, New Zealand and Australia. “I am resigning from my post today with a heavy heart,” he told reporters in Lahore. Referring to a report written in the aftermath of the World Twenty20 in India that was widely leaked in the Pakistani press, he added: “I want my recommendations to be implemented. They were not acted on when I first made them in 2015.” In his leaked report, Younis criticized the Pakistan Cricket Board’s decision to not give him a say in the selection process and blasted the captaincy of Shahid Afridi. “We lost to New Zealand, Asia Cup and the World T20 due to poor captaincy. Over several occasions, I had made it clear that Shahid Afridi was not performing with the bat, ball or as a captain but I was not listened to,” he said. He added: “I had made a lot of recommendations after the 2015 World Cup, including sending some boys back to first-class cricket for at least a season so they can regain their hunger for the game and rethink their approach and attitude to play for Pakistan, but no recommendation was implemented.” Pakistan’s early exit from the World T20, which the West Indies won Sunday, prompted a wave of criticism in the cricket-mad country. On Sunday Shahid Afridi stepped down as Pakistan’s T20 captain but vowed to continue as a player. — AFP