Pakistan Coach Hopes For New Start

Lahore: Pakistan coach Waqar Younis on Wednesday said that he hoped his team would start afresh after a turbulent past few months that saw several of the country's best players banned or fined.

Pakistan fly out to Sri Lanka on Saturday to compete in the four-nation Asia Cup starting from June 15 boasting several youngsters in their ranks.

Defending champions Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh are the other teams.

"It's time to look forward and hope for a new beginning after what has happened in the last three months, it has damaged the team more than it did in the last 30 years," Younis told reporters at the conclusion of a training camp.

Following a disastrous tear of Australia in February, Pakistan's cricket chiefs fined and banned seven top players on charges of discipline breaches.

Former captains Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf were banned for an indefinite period, while Shoaib Malik and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan were banned for one year and fined heavily.

Pakistan's current captain Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal and Umar Akmal were also fined.

An arbitrator has since revoked the bans on Younis Khan and Malik on appeal, while Afridi's fine was quashed and the Akmal brothers had their fines reduced.

Naved's appeal will be heard on June 19, while Yousuf, who retired in protest, did not appeal.

Pakistan lost all three Tests, five one-day and a Twenty20 on the doomed tour of Australia, but Waqar Younis said he hoped some fresh blood would put his side back on track.

"I think it's the right time to include new players, and I believe Umar (Akmal) and Asad Shafiq are very talented and have a bright future," he said of the two talented batsmen.

"We have not won anything significant over the last two or three years, but with youngsters in the side we have a hope to get back on a winning track and it is very important for the team."

After the Asia Cup, Pakistan will tour England, where they play two Twenty20 and two Tests against Australia before taking on England in four Tests, five one-day and two Twenty20 matches.

"England tour is very important for us and we need to play above our potential to achieve good results," said Younis, who took over as coach after the Australia debacle.