Waqar Younis, former Pakistani pacer, and captain of the Men in Green during the 2003 ODI World Cup, as well as the former head coach, recently identified the best wicketkeeper-batter in white-ball cricket. Contrary to expectations, he didn’t choose MS Dhoni, the iconic former Indian skipper leading Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL.
Younis, currently in India for commentary duties in the ongoing ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023, offered his opinion during a rapid-fire round on a YouTube show. Asked about the best wicketkeeper-batter in today’s cricket, he confidently said, “Best wicketkeeper-batter according to me is Devon Conway, I think.”
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Notably, Younis favored Conway, a CSK star known for his prowess despite not being a regular wicketkeeper, over acclaimed figures like England’s Jos Buttler, Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan, and South Africa’s Quinton de Kock. Rizwan currently leads the ODI World Cup 2023 batting charts with an impressive 294 runs, while De Kock has notched up two centuries in three matches.
Akash Chopra, former Indian opening batter and fellow participant in the show, offered a different perspective. When questioned on the same topic, he chose England’s white-ball captain and star batter, Buttler. Despite Buttler’s outstanding track record, he is yet to deliver a standout performance in the ongoing World Cup, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of the sport.