ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023 were India showed their sheer dominance but they failed in final and missed the opportunity to win the title for third time. Everyone got emotional and so they burst into tears as they gave their everything in this world cup but fell short in the end. Virat Kohli had a blast in that World Cup he scored 765 runs and he also surpassed Sachin Tendulkar’s ODI centuries record while playing against New Zealand in Mumbai.
Mohammad Hafeez blasts on Virat Kohli
Since Virat Kohli was back in form and so he lashes out the bowlers out of the park and so he proved that in World Cup 2023 after scoring 765 runs which proved that why he is the greatest player in the world. On the other side Pakistan’s former all-rounder Mohammed Hafeez slams Virat Kohli for his grounded shots and approach against South Africa were he scored his 49th ODI century but he took time and faced many balls while scoring the century. Mohammad Hafeez felt that Virat Kohli looked selfish in that innings he kept his century as priority over team. If any players plays with time, calm and composed approach then he won’t be selfish he actually adapt the conditions and if he scores 100 within 2 balls hitting a four and six then they would that player has aggressive but if that player takes time then selfish it’s wrong. Player like Virat Kohli always adapt the conditions and then think wisely to whether play aggressively or slowly. If we see player like Chris Gayle who always kept his approach aggressive and smashed big shots then you won’t call him selfish?
So, while speaking on you tube channel Mohammad Hafeez said:
“If you see the whole context, you will know. To me, no matter whoever is playing, your intention, your way of playing should always be (aimed) towards winning the game.”
“But if someone is stopping himself from playing big shot in the 90s, I will never take it. On 95, if someone is taking five balls to get to his 100 and not thinking that if maybe on those three or four balls, if I can hit (big shot)…If my intentions get changed after scoring 100, why I cannot play that same shot when I was on 95? Or on 92? Because to me, your intent should always remain the same – do whatever possible to add value to your team and get them to a winning position.”
“I felt in that game Virat took a lot of balls to get to his 100 and he was not playing big shots. If you watch his century again, maybe you will realize what I was saying. For me, personal milestones should go away from cricket. Your 50s, your 100s, your 5 wickets – as fan of cricket we don’t want to watch these kind of 50s and hundreds if they are not in a winning cause. In the game of cricket, even one run matters,” Hafeez said.
“I think you’re asking the wrong block mate I slog from ball 1 whether I was on or 99,”
“This is the way to play international cricket, this is the way to represent your country and give you 100% shot whatever best possible way you can. If someone can play the same shot after scoring a century and cannot play that same shot when in 90s or 91 or 93, it doesn’t give me the right understanding. I must have done that in my career. I’m also one of the player developed the same way. Unfortunately, if that is the case, the modern day of cricket does not require that. Your milestone will not be cherished that much as much we cherish victory of the team,” he said.
“In that particular tournament KL Rahul played an absolutely fantastic shot toward his extra cover and finished the game off and he was not happy that India won the game but was unhappy because he couldn’t get that chance to get his own 100. To me this is selfish approach and then the same thing happened when Virat Kohli did the same thing,” Hafeez said.
“He (Kohli) was more into his hundred rather than adding more value to the team’s cause. I know at the end they won by more than 200 runs. It doesn’t make any different if your own way of approaching towards the game of cricket is not right. If you think your milestone is bigger than the team’s victory, I’m sorry I will never take that,” he added.