Waqar Younis — Career, Records & Reverse Swing Legacy
Waqar Younis is one of cricket's greatest fast bowlers, renowned for his devastating yorkers, reverse swing, and 373 Test wickets for Pakistan.
Waqar Younis announced himself to Test cricket with one of the most remarkable debut spells in history — 7/76 against India in Karachi in 1989, aged 18. Over the next 14 years he took 373 Test wickets at 23.56, specialising in reverse swing at high pace and a yorker that was virtually unplayable when pitching around off stump.
The Wasim-Waqar axis
Pakistan's opening attack throughout the 1990s — Wasim Akram from the left, Waqar Younis from the right — was arguably the most feared new-ball pairing in cricket history. While Wasim moved the ball in different ways, Waqar relied on pace and late swing, particularly devastating inswing that crashed into the pads or the base of off stump. Together they took more than 700 Test wickets.
Career statistics
| Format | Matches | Wickets | Average | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 87 | 373 | 23.56 | 7/76 |
| ODIs | 262 | 416 | 23.84 | 7/36 |
The lethal yorker
Waqar's most feared delivery was the inswinging yorker at the death — a full-length delivery pitching on or around off stump and swinging in late towards the batsman's feet or the base of the stumps. He produced more LBW and bowled dismissals than almost any other fast bowler of his generation. His 416 ODI wickets stand as testimony to how effective he was in both Tests and limited-overs cricket.
Frequently asked questions
How many Test wickets did Waqar Younis take?
Waqar Younis took 373 Test wickets at an average of 23.56 in 87 Tests for Pakistan.
What was Waqar's best bowling performance?
His Test best was 7/76 against India on debut. In ODIs he took 7/36 against England at Headingley — one of the greatest ODI bowling performances.
What made the Wasim-Waqar bowling partnership so effective?
Wasim bowled left-arm swing (both ways) while Waqar bowled right-arm late inswing with devastating reverse swing. Their contrasting angles and variations gave batsmen no consistent line to play to.