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Waqar Younis smiles as if he has heard the question a few times before, the one about the start of a new era for Pakistan cricket.
"It's hard to say," he replies, with a shrug of the shoulders.
"That's what we were thinking six months ago and then suddenly something comes up."
That something has been well documented. Three leading Pakistan players, former test captain Salman Butt and outstanding pace bowlers Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif, are expected to soon learn their fate following the conclusion of a six-day hearing into the spot-fixing scandal that dominated headlines last year, though a decision was today deferred until next month.
The trio of frontline players have been charged with offences relating to alleged activity surrounding the test against England at Lord's in August after allegations they had taken bribes to arrange for deliberate no-balls to be delivered at pre-agreed times. They have just fronted a six-day tribunal in Doha, Qatar.
Add to the mix a tough time on the field in test cricket in recent times -- they won just two of 10 tests last year -- and the fact the current squad contain just a handful of players that toured England during the middle of last year and only two who toured here last summer, and 2010 was one to forget.
But 2011 certainly started in spectacular fashion. A new team, a mix of former players who have returned to the fray and inexperienced but highly talented young players, obliterated New Zealand with a 10-wicket win at Hamilton and are eyeing a rare test series win in the second and final test at Wellington which starts on Saturday.
There will not have been a resolution on the spot-fixing issue by then, but Younis, the former fast bowling great who took over as coach last March cannot wait.
Which gets us back to the original question.
"Hopefully," the 39-year-old says.
"It's a new year and it's a new setup. I would definitely like to say the team is a lot more hungrier than what I've seen in the past. It's a good unit so hopefully this year will bring us good results."
Despite winning just the two tests last year, against Australia and England, both in England, Pakistan squared series against Australia and South Africa, the latter with the new-look team who were retained for the current tour.
"It's not that we've been playing bad cricket, it's just that the controversy has just been following us," said Younis, who took 373 wickets at the outstanding average of 23.56 in 87 tests.
"It's very, very hard for the boys to keep going and keep hearing this, but I'm very proud of these boys. They have stuck to the task and every morning they get up and keep positive."
Among the players not here are the three alleged spot-fixers, wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal, and senior batsmen Mohammad Yousuf and Shoaib Malik.
The new players include talented batsman Asad Shafiq, who scored 83 in the first test and is considered good enough to keep Umar Akmal out of the team, wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal, the middle brother of the Akmal trio, left-arm spinner and first test man-of-the-match Abdur Rehman, and pace bowlers Wahab Riaz and Tanvir Ahmed.
There have been recalls for batsmen Mohammad Hafeez, Taufeeq Umar and Younis Khan, who had all been out of the national setup, in Umar's case for six years.
"Some of the boys have been in the Pakistan team in the past and made good comebacks after performing really well at first class level.," Younis said.
"It's just unfortunate what has happened in the last six to eight months, things were not going well for Pakistan and players have missed out for various reasons.
"You wouldn't call it a brand new side because of the fact many players have made comebacks, but I'm really proud of them."
He would be a whole lot prouder if they could secure a series victory in Wellington, which just might signal the start of that new era.
NZPA