One of the most-feared fast bowlers and former Pakistan captain Waqar Younis today pulled the curtain down on an illustrious cricket career spanning 15 years.Waqar’s decision to hang his boots comes over a year after being sacked from captaincy following his side’s dismal performance in World Cup 2003 in South Africa. Post the mega-event, he was not picked to play again for Pakistan.The 32-year-old speedster, who made his interntaional debut alongside Sachin Tendulkar in Karachi in 1989, said he could have prolonged his wait for a recall but felt that he may not get another chance to represent his country at the highest level.‘‘It is a sad day for me, but the right time to go,’’ he told a press conference arranged by the Pakistan Cricket Board.“I thought I could have played for a year or so, but I lost the hunger because the selectors did not consider me good enough to represent the country any more,” he said.Dreaded by batsmen worldwide for his toe-crushing yorkers, Waqar earned phenomenal succcess in both forms of the game. In 87 Tests, he claimed 373 wickets at 23.56 with the best being 7/76 against New Zealand at Faisalabad in 1990-91.In 262 One-Day Internationals he tallied 416 wickets at 23.86, the best being 7/36 against England in Leeds in 2001.
