ISLAMABAD - Ace fast bowler and present head coach of Pakistan cricket team Waqar Younis turned 44 Monday.
Born on 16 November 1971 in Vihari, he is regarded as one of the greatest and fastest bowlers of all time. As of 2012, he holds the record for the youngest Pakistani Test captain and the third youngest Test captain in history (22 years 15 days). He played 87 Tests and 262 One Day International (ODI) matches for Pakistan during his international cricket career from 1989 to 2003.
Younis’ trademark was his ability to reverse swing a cricket ball at high speed. He took 373 Test wickets and 416 One Day International wickets during his career. Younis has the best strike rate, after Dale Steyn, for any bowler with over 350 Test wickets.Waqar was named among the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1992 for his sporting achievements. He is also the only bowler to have taken 5 wickets in an innings in 3 consecutive One Day International matches. In terms of deliveries bowled, he has taken the fastest 50, 300, 350 and 400 wickets in One Day International matches.
Waqar Younis has taken five or more wickets in an innings on 22 occasions in Test cricket while in One Day International matches, he has taken five or more wickets on 13 occasions. International Cricket Council on December 9,2013 announced that they had inducted Waqar in the prestigious ICC Hall of Fame. Waqar become the 70th male members of the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. He joined Compatriot Hanif Mohammad as well as his former teammates Imran Khan, Javed Miandad and Wasim Akram.