5 coaches at the World T20 who will remind you of the 90s

Marvan Atapattu in action during the 1999 World Cup

The period between the years 1990 and 2000 is often referred to as the golden era of international cricket. Many of the stars who played some of their best cricket during this era are still staying in touch with the game in some way or the other.Among these, quite a few have entered into the coaching domain and are currently involved in different roles across international as well as domestic teams. The coaching staff of a number of teams that are participating in the ongoing World T20 includes some popular faces who dominated the sport in the 90s.Here are 6 cricketers from the 90s who are coaching at the World T20:

#5 Marvan Atapattu

Marvan Atapattu in action during the 1999 World Cup

Coaching role: Batting Coach, Zimbabwe

Sri Lanka's former skipper Marvan Atapattu is a prominent name from the 90s who will be seen in a coaching role at the World T20. The Zimbabwean national cricket team brought the stylish batsman on board as their batting coach prior to the tournament.

Atapattu is remembered for the multiple double centuries that he scored for Sri Lanka in Tests. However, his batting stats suggest that the right-hander was not able to do complete justice to the amount of talent that he possessed. In 90 Tests, he scored just over 5500 runs at an average of under 40.

Marvan Atapattu also had decent success as captain of the Sri Lankan team. As batting coach of Zimbabwe, he will be looking to help them counter the sub-continent conditions.

#4 Heath Streak

Streak was the star bowler for Zimbabwe in the 90s (Image Courtesy – IBN Live)

Coaching Role: Bowling Coach, Bangladesh

Heath Streak is easily the greatest fast bowler Zimbabwe has ever produced. While Streak did represent his national team until 2005, a major portion of his career was played during the 1990s. The pacer played for his country in multiple World Cups and did a very decent job for them as well.

Streak will be seen in action at the World T20 as the bowling coach of the Bangladesh team. It is a role that he took over back in 2014 and his performance can be judged from the way the Bangladeshi fast bowlers have stepped up their game in the recent past.

The great Zimbabwean will be looking forward to making a difference in the ongoing World T20 as well by inspiring his bowlers to produce the goods again for Bangladesh.

#3 Chaminda Vaas

Vaas used to be Sri Lanka’s finest fast bowler

Coaching role: Bowling Coach, Ireland

Another iconic figure from the 90s who will be involved in a coaching role at the World T20 is Sri Lankan paceman Chaminda Vaas. The great left-armer did play for almost the entire first decade of the 2000s, but he was a regular face in his national team for most of the 1990s as well.

With more than 700 wickets to his name across Tests and ODIs, Vaas is a legend not only for Sri Lanka but for the cricketing world. Recently, the seamer was roped in by the Ireland cricket team as their bowling coach for the World T20.

Ireland will be looking to cash in on Chaminda Vaas' tremendous experience of bowling on lifeless sub-continent pitches and extracting the most out of them. Vaas has produced some memorable performances as a player at World Cups and will be hoping to do the same as a coach too.

#2 Waqar Younis

Waqar was one of the most dangerous bowlers of the 90s

Coaching role: Head Coach & Fast Bowling Coach, Pakistan

Waqar Younis is one of the biggest superstars of the 1990s who will be appearing as a coach at the 2016 World T20. The Pakistani fast bowler is known for his legendary contribution towards taking the great art of fast bowling to greater heights.

Waqar and his partner Wasim Akram were the pioneers of reverse swing and also taught the cricketing world a thing or two about bowling yorkers. The paceman currently plays a dual coaching role for the Pakistan national cricket team as head coach and fast bowling coach.

Despite a poor performance at the recently concluded Asia Cup, Waqar Younis will continue in his current profile at least in the ongoing World T20. The performances of the Pakistanis in the tournament may decide how long Waqar will stay.

#1 Inzamam-ul-Haq

Inzamam burst onto the scene in the 1992 World Cup

Coaching role: Head Coach, Afghanistan

Although Inzamam-ul-Haq played top-level international cricket until 2007, he built his reputation as a star batsman for Pakistan primarily in the 90s. Inzamam rose to prominence as a talented batsman in the 1992 World Cup and there was no looking back for him since then.

The burly Pakistani right-hander went on to become one of the most feared batsmen in world cricket and competed with the best of his time. Currently, though, Inzy has assumed responsibility as the head coach of the Afghanistan national cricket team.

Inzamam-ul-Haq has had a successful start to his coaching career as Afghanistan routed Zimbabwe in their own backyard across both limited-over formats. It will be interesting to see if he can inspire his team to put up another spirited performance at the World T20.

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Edited by Staff Editor