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Published 20:17 IST, March 17th 2020

Waqar Younis says there is no point of World Test C'ship without an Ind-Pak contest

Former Pakistani pacer Waqar Younis has said that there is no point of ICC World Test Championship without a clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan

Reported by: Karthik Nair
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Waqar Younis
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Former pace great Waqar Younis said it doesn't make sense that the ICC World Test Championship doesn't feature any match between arch-rivals India and Pakistan. The last time India and Pakistan had locked horns in a Test series was way back in the 2007/08 season. The two teams have not played a bilateral series since the 2012/13 season due to the ongoing political tensions and since then they have only been facing each other in multi-nation tournaments like the Asia Cup and ICC events.

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'Makes no sense': Waqar Younis

"I know it is a difficult situation between Pakistan and India even at government to government level but I think the ICC needed to play a more proactive role in this championship," Waqar said in an interview to a Youtube channel. "The ICC should have intervened and done something because to me having a test championship without Pakistan and India Test matches makes no sense," he said.

Meanwhile, the Pakistani bowling coach also recalled his Test debut against arch-rivals India back in 1989 where a 16-year-old Sachin Tendulkar had also made his debut at the highest level. "It's always been like this that is why making my test debut against India is something I don't forget," he said.

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Waqar's cricketing career

Waqar Younis has represented Pakistan in 87 Tests and 262 One Day Internationals in his international career that spanned from 1989 to 2003. The pace legend finished with 373 and 416 scalps respectively. Younis has represented the Men In Green in three editions of the World Cup (1996, 1999 & 2003). An injury had ended his 1992 World Cup campaign where Pakistan went on to win their first and only ODI World Cup to date. The former speedster was also a part of the 1999 squad where they had finished as the runners-up. He had led them in the 2003 edition of the showpiece event where they had a forgettable campaign as they were knocked out in the group stages. 

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(With PTI Inputs)

Updated 20:17 IST, March 17th 2020