LAHORE: Younis Khan has opened up on the tragic death of former Pakistan cricket team head coach Bob Woolmer, who died a day after Pakistan was knocked out of the 2007 ODI World Cup.
Pakistan lost to Ireland on 17 March 2007, after which they were eliminated from the tournament, and just a day later, on 18 March, Woolmer was found dead in his room.
His death was speculated to have been a homicide, but an investigation by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Jamaican authorities confirmed that he died of natural causes.
Speaking to a local TV channel, Younis insisted that if Woolmer had remained Pakistan’s head coach, the team would have reached great heights.
Unfortunately we didn’t sit together the night he died because we lost to Ireland. I was also on a duck and was very angry with myself. I didn’t see him at breakfast the next day and we learned about his death later,” he added.
Younis, who led Pakistan to T20 World Cup glory in 2009, revealed that after Woolmer’s death, the team was moved to another island where they were interrogated by local police for three days.
“It was like torture for us there. While I fully understand the responsibility a player has to demonstrate as an ambassador for his country, it should be the other way around… the authorities also have to take care of us,” he concluded.
