Waqar Younis all set for Omega Dubai Desert Classic’s Celebrity Challenge Match

Waqar Younis will show off his growing golf skills when he features in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic’s Celebrity Challenge Match at the Emirates Golf Club on February 7.

The master of reverse swing in his playing days, Younis has been invited to join a star-studded line-up for the match which will see some of the world’s leading players pair with well-known personalities from the world of sports and entertainment in a greensomes format.

Younis, a premier strike bowler in his playing days, has left a legacy on the game, changing the way fast bowlers approached the craft. His golfing swing may be not as effective as his trademark toe-crushing yorkers, but the soft-spoken Pakistani just loves navigating the fairways since quitting the game in 2004.

“I have enjoyed my cricket and now I am enjoying me golf. It’s so much fun. There are no usual pressure situations,” said Younis who took 373 Test wickets with a stunning strike rate of 43.40 in a glittering career spanning 15 years.

He could have continued playing for his country even longer, but back injuries forced him to take what many thought was a pre-mature retirement from the game. Now a cricket commentator and an avid golfer, Younis is looking forward to the match.

“The idea of pairing a (former) cricketer like me with a top professional golfer looks pretty interesting. This will be a new experience for me. I think I swing it fine, and hope we all will have fun. It will also be a good opportunity to meet up with new friends,” he said.

The Celebrity Challenge Match, which formally kicks off the tournament week, gets under way at 6pm at the par-3 course of the Emirates Golf Club.