Dhaka: A day after Pakistan lost their first ever ODI series against Bangladesh, coach Waqar Younis gave in to criticism from Pakistan cricket fans, accepting that the team was facing problems.
“I accept what the critics are saying: Pakistan cricket is facing problems,” said the former Pakistan fast-bowler on Monday.
“We need to change the way we play cricket. We have been playing defensive cricket for too long; it will take time to get out of this (mindset),” he said.
Younis blamed a lack of fitness for the team’s disappointing performance on the Bangladesh tour.
“Our biggest problem is fitness, over which no compromise can be made,” he said.
But he added that there was no need to look back “if you want to move forward with young players”.
Waqar’s statements follow news from the Pakistan camp of what appears to be yet another fitness-related setback.
Sources told Geo News that fast-bowler Rahat Ali had suffered a hamstring injury and skipped the team’s training session on Monday.
The Pakistan team has faced a string of injury setbacks in recent weeks.
Four World Cup squad members – pacemen Ehsan Adil and Sohail Khan, leg-spinner Yasir Shah and batsman Sohaib Maqsood – were earlier declared unfit and ruled out of the tour with injuries.
Pakistan lost the three-game ODI series with a seven wicket defeat in the second match on Sunday after by it lost the first game by 79 runs last week.
The third ODI is scheduled to be played at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium on Wednesday, April 22.
Pakistan also play a solitary Twenty20 game and two Tests on the month-long tour of Bangladesh.
