Sharjah Former Pakistan team captain and coach Waqar Younis feels that it is high time Shahid Afridi kept his mouth shut and started performing for the team.
Speaking to Gulf News over Afridi's recall to the Pakistan's One-day team for the series against Sri Lanka, he said: "Afridi has been talking a lot of rubbish. It's time he shut up and concentrated on his cricket. It is about time that he delivered with his bat than with his mouth."
Afridi had retired from cricket following differences with the Pakistan Cricket Board and Younis, but has been included in the One-day squad against Sri Lanka commencing on November 11 at the Dubai International cricket stadium.
"Performance from him is overdue, especially when he has retired and has now come back. I am not sure about what exactly he wanted to do, but this is not the way cricket is to be played. He must now come and deliver. He has created pressure for himself, though I feel he is good enough to still play for Pakistan for a year or two," added Younis.
When asked whether Afridi did adhere to his guidance as a coach, Younis said: "Afridi was a flamboyant person; he is still a flamboyant player. I did not want to do anything overnight, but did work hard with him and tried to put him in order, but he himself has to blame for what he has done to himself. He has to now come back and must really deliver because people are expecting a lot from him."
Positive person
Talking about his experience as coach, Younis said: "I really enjoyed my time as the coach because I enjoyed my time with Misbah Ul Haq, who's a lot calmer, a positive and very honest person. It was very challenging to bring in the youngsters and also deal with the oldies in the team. In the Pakistan team, nobody wants to sit out, they all want to play and don't care as to who is going to sit out. So it was not easy.As I said, it was an enjoyable learning experience but tough as well."
Younis, who had played a pivotal role in shaping up many youngsters in the present squad, feels that the recall of some of the senior players is injustice to youngsters who have been performing well.
Comment: Akhtar on Tendulkar
Waqar Younis is shocked at Shoaib Akhtar's comment that Sachin Tendulkar was scared of Akhtar as a pacer. Younis was witness to Tendulkar's bravery when he had hit 15-year-old Tendulkar during his debut series in Sialkot with a bouncer on the nose. Tendulkar then refused even medical attention, continued to bat and hit a half-century.
"It is very childish for someone to say something like that about Tendulkar. Even if someone is scared of me no one will show it. Will you ever show me you are scared of me? This is a guy who has scored thousands of runs in Test cricket and to tell something like that about him was very childish." Shahid Afridi too had backed Akhtar's claim that he has seen Tendulkar's legs shiver in fear.