To ensure that the cricketers are not distracted from the game, several cricket boards use the no WAGs policy for the entire team. While some cricketers are against the policy, the idea is also welcomed by many cricketers.
Former Pakistani cricketer Saqlain Mushtaq, who is known to be one of the finest off-spinners in cricket’s history, is also a great story-teller. Saqlain, who has shared several interesting anecdotes in the past, recalled how he once had to hide his wife in the cupboard during the 1999 Cricket World Cup.
Much to the surprise of the players, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had asked the players to sent their wives back home in between the tournament.
In an interview with Raunak Kapoor in the show ‘Beyond The Field’, Saqlain recalled how he was taken aback by the move and how he dealt with the situation.
“Actually I got married in December 1998. My wife used to stay in London so in 1999 World Cup I stayed with my wife and there was a set pattern – work hard and train like a true professional with the team during day time and in the evenings I used to spend time with my wife. But suddenly they said that our families will be sent back home. So I told our head coach Richard Pybus, that everything is going so smooth then why this sudden change. I am someone who likes to keep the things as they are and don’t feel the need to try out new things for no reason. I decided that I’m not gonna follow this,” Saqlain said.
According to Saqlain the night before the final match, while he with his wife was chatting in their room, his team manager Dr Zafar Altaf and associate manager Masood Chisty knocked on his door to ensure that players were adhering to the curfew time and were in their rooms.
“Since I didn’t want to face any disciplinary action I told my wife to hide in the cupboard. Unfortunately her wait was to become a long one,” he said.
“After the manager left, team coach Richard Pybus came to my room for a chat and after he left Muhammad Yousuf and Azhar Mehmood walked in. I felt sorry for my wife and was forced to ask her to come out of the cupboard leaving the players surprised,” Saqlain said.
“I managed to get away with it as after we lost the final to Australia, the atmosphere was very heavy, everyone was down. I went back to my hotel, checked out and told my wife to go to my apartment which was also in London. I used to play county cricket so they had given me an apartment there,” added Saqlain.
However in an interview with ESPNcricinfo in 2015, the former cricketer explained that both Yousuf and Azhar knew that Mushtaq’s wife was in the room and that she could come out of the closet.
