Waqar Younis

Waqar Younis was a Pakistani fast bowler celebrated as a pioneer of reverse swing, forming a devastating new-ball partnership with Wasim Akram.

Waqar Younis was discovered almost by accident: Imran Khan, watching a televised bank league match with no particular expectation, noticed his run-up and bowling action and decided on the spot that Pakistan needed him in the setup. Within a year, Waqar was making his international debut. Alongside Wasim Akram, he helped pioneer reverse swing as a genuine attacking weapon rather than a minor curiosity -- a technique that let an aging, roughed-up ball suddenly move in the air like a brand-new one, confusing batters who'd already adjusted to the ball's expected behavior twenty overs into an innings. The "two Ws" partnership became one of the most feared new-ball combinations in the sport's history largely because of that shared mastery. Waqar's rise to become the fastest bowler to 300 ODI wickets, at the time, came almost entirely off the back of that reverse-swing weapon, a skill that's since become standard coaching material across international cricket but that he and Akram were still refining largely through trial and error during their own careers.

Waqar Younis was renowned for his devastating yorkers, particularly his toe-crushing deliveries at the death. He mastered the art of reverse swing with the old ball, often swinging it late and at high pace to trouble even the best batsmen. His aggressive approach and ability to take wickets in clusters made him one of the most feared fast bowlers of his era.

Waqar revolutionized fast bowling with his yorker technique and reverse swing mastery, influencing a generation of pace bowlers worldwide. His partnership with Wasim Akram is considered one of the greatest bowling combinations in cricket history.

• Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1992
• fastest bowler to 300 ODI wickets (at the time)
• ICC Cricket Hall of Fame