Former Pakistan captain Younis Khan, who is one of the most prolific batters across all formats for the national side, feels that their national cricket team’s performance would have reached greater success if the late head coach, Bob Woolmer, was still alive.
Woolmer was the coach of the Pakistan cricket team during the 2007 ODI Cricket World Cup in the Caribbean. He was found unconscious in his hotel bathroom, and later died in hospital, at the age of 58.
As the world digested the weight of the news, along with all manners of rumors and theories, the Jamaica police, within four days had launched a murder inquiry. After months of fruitless speculations, they eventually addressed it as a natural death.
‘I was very close to Bob’- Younis Khan on former Pakistan coach
Bob Woolmer, the former England batter and coach who played 19 Tests and six ODIs for the side, was appointed as the Pakistan coach in 2004. He was spotted dead shortly after his team’s defeat against Ireland, which resulted in the team’s shocking exit from the 2007 ODI World Cup.
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The recent statement of Younis Kahn reflects the impact of the Uttar Pradesh-born on Pakistan cricket during his tenure as the head coach. The unfortunate death of the veteran left a void in their cricket landscape, as he believes that in the presence of Bob, Pakistan could have achieved more success in their cricket.
‘I have no doubt that if Woolmer had remained head coach, Pakistan cricket would have been very different today, and he would have taken it to great heights.’ The former Pakistan batter Younis Khan noted on a local TV channel.
He recalled the moment when they had the daily routine of sitting together and sharing the insights of the game or the nets.
‘I was very close to Bob (Woolmer) and it was our daily routine to sit down together after a match or nets to discuss cricket. Unfortunately the night he passed away.’ The 46-year-old Younis Khan expressed during the show.
‘We didn’t sit together as we had lost to Ireland. I was also out for a duck and was very upset with myself. So, I went to my room and locked myself in. Next day, I didn’t see him at breakfast and later we learned about his death.’ The veteran remarked.
Younis Khan, the squad member of the 2007 ODI World Cup, feels that he wasn’t satisfied with the insufficient backing the players got from their officials during the investigation, as he believed that the authorities should have offered more assistance to the team during that challenging period.
He also revealed that the tragic passing of the former head coach increased stress on him which led him to reconsider his decision of captaining the Pakistan side for an extended period. The board sent their own security personnel to the Caribbean to collaborate with the Jamaican police.
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Younis Khan also observed that Woolmer was preparing him mentally to get the role of the captain of the side across all formats following the World Cup.
‘After what all happened in the World Cup, I changed my mind and I became a reluctant captain and had no long-term tenure in mind.’ Younis Khan looked back at the time when their team was interrogated for three days in a different island. ‘It was like a torture for us these. While I fully understand the responsibilities a player has to show as an ambassador of his country, it should be the other way round; authorities must also look after us.’