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Lahore: Newly-appointed Pakistan coach Waqar Younis has asked Mohammad Yousuf to reconsider his decision of quitting international cricket and said the former captain still has plenty to offer to the country.
"Yousuf still had lot of cricket left in him and he should review his decision for the sake of Pakistan cricket," Waqar said after the senior batsman announced his retirement on Monday.
Yousuf announced his retirement at a press conference in Karachi, saying that he was disheartened by Pakistan Cricket Board's treatment and also because the board had accused him of being a disruptive influence on the team.
Yousuf's retirement came at a time when the board has imposed an indefinite ban on him on the recommendations of a inquiry committee that looked into reports of infighting on the recent tour of Australia.
Waqar earlier said in Lahore before assuming charge of the national team that he hoped to restore the confidence and morale of the team ahead of next month's Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies.
"My top priority now is to ensure we put up a good show in the World Cup and can defend our title, my job is to motivate and lift the players to give their best after the recent problems in Pakistan cricket," he said.
The former captain said he had a lot of faith in the players whom he knows very well having worked with them before.
Waqar was the bowling and fielding coach on the recent tour to Australia where Pakistan was swamped in the Test as well as ODI series.
Waqar, who has 373 wickets in 87 Tests and 416 in 262 ODIs, backed the appointment of Shahid Afridi as captain and said he the all-rounder has the fire to revive the team.
"He is a player with a positive frame of mind and someone who is leading from the front. We need a captain like that at this stage," he said.
"I am confident we can work well as a team because the end target for both of us is to revive this team and make it play to its potential," he added.
Waqar said during the three-week long World Cup preparatory camp which started on Monday, he would be laying emphasis on fielding.
"Fielding is very important in any form of the game and we need to be sharp and focused all the time. Our fielding needs to consistently match the standards of other leading teams," he said.
