Mohammad Hafeez made a bombshell revelation while criticizing the Pakistan cricket team after their early T20 World Cup exit. Mohammad Hafeez enjoyed a brief stint as Chief Selector and Director for PCB before the World Cup. Pakistan fans were left extremely disappointed with their team’s performance at the ongoing T20 World Cup. The Babar Azam-led side finished in third position in Group A, losing twice and with the same number of wins in four games. The early exit led to brutal criticism from fans and former players of the Pakistan players.
What stunned everyone was Pakistan’s opening defeat in the tournament, as they crashed to a Super Over loss against co-hosts USA. The opening defeat turned out to be the defining moment in their campaign and it cost them the second position.
Mohammad Hafeez tenure as Pakistan’s director.
Former Pakistan player Mohammad Hafeez also went on a tirade against the team. Mohammad Hafeez had served as the team director from November 2023 to February 2024, and was also the interim head coach. The Pakistan national team setup has been pretty chaotic for 2-3 years, and it also saw Shaheen Shah Afridi replace Babar as captain after the 2023 ODI World Cup. But just before the T20 World Cup, Babar replaced Shaheen as skipper.
Mohammad Hafeez recalls shocking scenes during his tenure as Pakistan men’s team’s director position expressing his feelings regarding the same. Pakistan lost series in Australia and New Zealand when Mohammad Hafeez was the director and chief selector of team Pakistan.
Mohammad Hafeez recalls shocking scenes during his tenure as Pakistan men’s team’s director
Former Pakistan men’s team’s director and head coach Mohammad Hafeez made a stunning revelation regarding his brief tenure with the side. The ex-all-rounder asserted that he wanted the players’ focus during and after the match as they cannot suddenly switch off. According to media reports, Mohammad Hafeez was a disciplinarian and the players weren’t happy with such an attitude. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) got rid of him after the Test tour of Australia and the T20I series in New Zealand.
Speaking on the Club Prairie Fire Podcast to Adam Gilchrist and Michael Vaughan, Hafeez stated that it was unacceptable for players to sleep in the dressing room during Test matches. He elaborated:
“I went into the dressing room and found 4-5 players are sleeping in the dressing room while playing Test cricket. I was like, ‘How come you guys can do that?’ If you do something like this, you cannot be a part of this team. I want you guys to stay focused during the game and off the game, whatever you guys do, it is your own life, I never get involved in it. But in professional timings of the game, I want you guys to focus on the game.”
The Men in Green are heavily in focus presently for their disappointing performance in T20 World Cup 2024. They faced a group-stage exit, losing to USA and Team India. Captain Babar Azam has come most under scrutiny due to his lack of intent with the bat.
Mohammad Hafeez lashes Babar Azam and Team Pakistan.
The 43-year-old elaborated that the media didn’t like him as a disciplinarian, claiming:
“You tell me Gilly, if a player is sleeping in the dressing room and we are playing Test cricket. 4-5 players are sleeping in the dressing room, should I allow that as a team director? You cannot switch yourself off during the game, but unfortunately the media didn’t like it.”
Hafeez explained, But in professional timings of the game, I want you guys to focus on the game. Stay in touch. If you are a fast bowler, you can have a rest, a good ice bath but you need to concentrate on the game of cricket, like how the other team is also doing. You cannot switch yourself off during the game, but unfortunately the media didn’t like it.”
Pakistan are next likely to be in action in August during the Test series against Bangladesh.