Waqar Younis recently shared a cryptic post highlighting his and Wasim Akram’s combined records, seemingly responding to former Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez’s remarks about the legacy of 1990s cricketers. Notably, Waqar’s use of “90’s KA LONDA (Boys from the 1990s)” in all caps fueled speculation that his post was directed at Hafeez’s comments.
Waqar posted a picture of himself and Wasim on X, following Pakistan’s disappointing exit from the 2025 Champions Trophy. The tournament, Pakistan’s first major ICC event as hosts in nearly three decades, saw the team struggle, losing heavily to New Zealand and India before their final match against Bangladesh was washed out.
Hafeez had earlier questioned the impact left by Pakistan’s 1990s stars, stating they failed to secure ICC trophies after the 1992 World Cup. He made these remarks while speaking alongside former pacer Shoaib Akhtar, who was part of Pakistan’s renowned fast-bowling trio with Wasim and Waqar in the late 1990s.
“90’s KA LONDA”
Test – 191
ODI’s – 618
Wkts – 1705
Runs – 8594
5wkts – 66
10wkts – 10#NotBad @wasimakramlive #GoodOldDays♥️ pic.twitter.com/09VaeKbycJ— Waqar Younis (@waqyounis99) March 6, 2025
Hafeez shared his thoughts during an appearance on OutSide Edge Live, saying, “While I have great admiration for the players from the 1990s, I believe they didn’t leave a lasting legacy for Pakistan. They never won an ICC event—losing in the World Cups of 1996, 1999, and 2003. Although we made it to the final in 1999, we suffered a heavy defeat.”
He discussed their immense star power, acknowledging, “As players, they were undeniably huge stars. However, they failed to inspire the nation by clinching an ICC event. Then came a tough phase, and in 2007, we lost in the final of the T20 World Cup. It wasn’t until 2009, under Younis Khan’s captaincy, that we finally found inspiration by winning.”
Shoaib Akhtar, reflecting on Pakistan’s dominant head-to-head record against India in ODI cricket, attributed the success to their 1990s performances. He proudly remarked, “It was us who won those 73 one-dayers against India, and that record is a reflection of our dominance.”
When a colleague acknowledged the strong legacy from the time of Imran Khan, Shoaib was quick to reply, “No, you can’t take that back now. The video is already out, and you’ve spoken about all the legendary players from that era.”