Waqar Younis or Imran Khan?

Gowza · #1 May 2, 2013, 07:46 PM

Who was the better bowler?

Waqar had an amazing strike rate, great pace, got most of his wickets bowled or LBW but he wasn't that consistent across all conditions.

Imran was very consistent across all conditions, averaged less than 29 everywhere.

Who was better with the new ball? who was better with the old ball? who was better overall?

let's keep Imran's all-round abilities out of this. We're talking purely bowling here.

Roey Haque · #2 May 2, 2013, 11:35 PM

I say Waqar overall. Best in-swinging yorkers of all time bebe!

**Zunaid** · #3 May 2, 2013, 11:40 PM

Neither. Wasim Akram rules them both.

Gowza · #4 May 3, 2013, 02:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zunaid
Neither. Wasim Akram rules them both.

Wasim has the most variations and can do the most, just wondering who can do more with the ball between waqar and Imran.

**Zunaid** · #5 May 3, 2013, 02:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gowza
Wasim has the most variations and can do the most, just wondering who can do more with the ball between waqar and Imran.

With that qualifier, I will go with Waqar.

RazabQ · #6 May 3, 2013, 03:15 AM

Waqar was the more attacking bowler but if the ball wasn't swinging he could have been had. Imran had a more fearsome bouncer and arguably, at his peak, quicker.

RazabQ · #7 May 3, 2013, 03:16 AM

But Akram to rule them all.

Gowza · #8 May 3, 2013, 06:52 AM

only issue with akram is his strike rate and that he took a fair few tail end wickets, tbh he was the most talented but underachieved. imran was the least talented, worked the hardest and got the best results. waqar has the strike rate and that he took most of his wickets bowled or LBW (similar to holding in that respect). if you were to pick one for an all time XI who would you pick? who was the best at reversing?

BanCricFan · #9 May 3, 2013, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RazabQ
...and arguably, at his peak, quicker.

Highly unlikely. Imran, at his peak, bowled barely in the early 90s mph. Waqar in the mid 90s quite regularly.

Waqar probably was the better bowler...only just.

Gowza · #10 May 3, 2013, 09:37 AM

i think waqar was more destructive but imran more consistent, although imran was quite destructive in his own right against quality batting.

roman · #11 May 3, 2013, 10:09 AM

It's a sin to compare anyone with Imran Khan. Imran had everything going for him. He was the best captain ever.

That being said, if you compare bowler Imran with Waqar, I would keep Waqar ahead. But we should also not forget that it was Imran who played a HUGE role in Waqar and Wasim's career

Gowza · #12 May 3, 2013, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roman
It's a sin to compare anyone with Imran Khan. Imran had everything going for him. He was the best captain ever.

That being said, if you compare bowler Imran with Waqar, I would keep Waqar ahead. But we should also not forget that it was Imran who played a HUGE role in Waqar and Wasim's career

yes imran did have a huge role in the development of waqar and wasim, but we're talking bowling here, not who was the biggest influence on the other.

who was the best at reversing? who was the best at conventional swing? who seamed it the best? who had the best bouncer?

Shehwar · #13 May 3, 2013, 08:45 PM

Having started to watch cricket in '91 I didn't really have the privilege to catch Imran's hay days so my opinion will probably be a little biased bit Waqar Younis IMO would be by far the most destructive and unstoppable bowler to have played cricket. I saw way too many spells by Younis where he pretty much got batsmen out at will with sheer unplayable pace and reverse swing. He was the king of the old ball and reverse swing and till today no one has mastered the Yorker the way he used to deliver. The much hyped Shoaib Akthtar had actually modelled himself on Waqar. I have seen Wasim and Waqar bowl out oppositions in test cricket by themselves when defending a small total! Matches in ODIs where oppositions were cruising with 6-8 wickets in hand with less than 25 odd to get at 4-5 rr and the two Ws will turn it on with Waqar usually taking the lead role in creating utter havoc. So yes in a nutshell has to be Waqar for me. Wasim might have been a wizard but Waqar had to be the most FEARsome bowler of all that I have witnessed. One match springs to mind, an ODI in '94-'95 with NewZealand requiring about 19 runs off 42 balls at one stage with 6 wickets in hand with two set batsmen at home. The two Ws comes back for their spell and boom! I miss fast bowling like that. Waqar had 6-30 in that match and the Kiwi batters who faced him that day still probably has nightmares. You guys might find it in YouTube but dunno if it will actually capture what went on that day. Ah well that's enough nostalgia for 2:45 am in the morning. Time to watch some highlights of our victory against Zim today. Thanks to Mo Bhai!

Zeeshan · #14 May 3, 2013, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zunaid
Neither. Wasim Akram rules them both.

lol i came to post the last part.

Gowza · #15 May 6, 2013, 03:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shehwar
Having started to watch cricket in '91 I didn't really have the privilege to catch Imran's hay days so my opinion will probably be a little biased bit Waqar Younis IMO would be by far the most destructive and unstoppable bowler to have played cricket. I saw way too many spells by Younis where he pretty much got batsmen out at will with sheer unplayable pace and reverse swing. He was the king of the old ball and reverse swing and till today no one has mastered the Yorker the way he used to deliver. The much hyped Shoaib Akthtar had actually modelled himself on Waqar. I have seen Wasim and Waqar bowl out oppositions in test cricket by themselves when defending a small total! Matches in ODIs where oppositions were cruising with 6-8 wickets in hand with less than 25 odd to get at 4-5 rr and the two Ws will turn it on with Waqar usually taking the lead role in creating utter havoc. So yes in a nutshell has to be Waqar for me. Wasim might have been a wizard but Waqar had to be the most FEARsome bowler of all that I have witnessed. One match springs to mind, an ODI in '94-'95 with NewZealand requiring about 19 runs off 42 balls at one stage with 6 wickets in hand with two set batsmen at home. The two Ws comes back for their spell and boom! I miss fast bowling like that. Waqar had 6-30 in that match and the Kiwi batters who faced him that day still probably has nightmares. You guys might find it in YouTube but dunno if it will actually capture what went on that day. Ah well that's enough nostalgia for 2:45 am in the morning. Time to watch some highlights of our victory against Zim today. Thanks to Mo Bhai!

yes waqar was the most destructive i saw but imran apparently was also very quick in his pomp and could also reverse it and bowl conventional swing, also has a much better record overall across the different conditions. waqar has the much higher strike rate but poor records in some countries like australia and i think india. if their bowling is that close then their selection would then be based on other aspects of their game e.g. batting.

BanCricFan · #16 May 6, 2013, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gowza
...and could also reverse it and bowl conventional swing,.

Imran not only could reverse but he, along with Sarfaraz, was the pioneer of this art. Needless to mention about his mastery of conventional swing. The true Sultan of Swing...and I don't mean the dance

zman · #17 May 14, 2013, 03:23 PM

Robiul Islam

Gowza · #18 June 6, 2013, 07:58 PM

after a lot of research i now have no doubt imran > waqar. waqar was great, he attacked the stumps, had blistering pace and an incredible strike rate. but imran had a greater range of weaponry and performed better in more conditions overall.

Jadukor · #19 June 6, 2013, 10:32 PM

Wasim ahead of both. Don't think i will see another bowler as enjoyable to watch like him.

I also started watching from 91-92 so I have seen more of Waqar than Imran Khan. I would put Waqar ahead in seaming conditions

zsayeed · #20 June 6, 2013, 10:45 PM

any good repository of online videos?

Gowza · #21 June 6, 2013, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jadukor
Wasim ahead of both. Don't think i will see another bowler as enjoyable to watch like him.

I also started watching from 91-92 so I have seen more of Waqar than Imran Khan. I would put Waqar ahead in seaming conditions

wasim and imran are pretty close imo, pretty hard to split them. akram the slightly more talented bowler but in terms of results imran very slightly ahead of wasim. imran's consistency with the bat is what puts him ahead in usefulness as a cricketer imo otherwise there isn't much between them (pretty much personal preference on an enjoyable factor). the main negatives against wasim are his strike rate (though imran's isn't quite top notch either) and that he took a higher ratio of tail end wickets (but depending on perspective that's also a positive - you need to be able to get the tail out and the quicker you do it the better).

as for waqar ahead of imran in seaming conditions, i like you haven't seen as much of imran as i have of waqar but imran had a lot more variation with the ball. waqar was almost specifically an inswing bowler at pace whereas imran could move it both ways, seam it, had a good bouncer, pace. imo imran is the more complete bowler and therefore for me it's hard to place him ahead of waqar no matter what the conditions are.

for me waqar falls behind because he has less variations to the other 2. imran and wasim, purely in terms of bowling are almost impossible to split between.

Jadukor · #22 June 6, 2013, 11:59 PM

good points Gowza. What i have said is purely from the memories i have of these bowlers and not from stats. While there are plenty of compilations of Wasim on youtube.. i like this clip of an actual over the best

Jadukor · #23 June 7, 2013, 12:04 AM

a favorite of mine from Waqar Younis... again not a compilation but an actual over which better captures a match situation imo

Jadukor · #24 June 7, 2013, 12:08 AM

finally a video of a spell from Imran

Tigers_eye · #25 June 7, 2013, 04:50 AM

Before injury Imran was true spearhead. Shoaib Akhtar type speed. With swing it becomes deadly for anyone facing.

After injury he shortened his runups, concentrated on foxing batsmen with his swing.

(Bowling only) Imran have a better average, much much better econ, Better one innings stat, better one test stat, More 5fiers, and more 10 fors in less innings than Waqar.

When Imran (finally third time - like MJ) retired he was the second highest wicket taker behind Botham who played much more games if I remember correctly. Later on Hadlee and Kapil crossed him.