"I will be available even if the T20 World Cup is postponed this year" : Mohammad Hafeez

[Abdullah719]

‘My career, my choice’ Hafeez on repetitive retirement questions

Lahore: Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez has clarified that he will not stop playing cricket on someone’s opinion.

The 39-year-old while talking to reporters on Monday via videoconference replied to former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja’s advice about retiring from international cricket in order to give youngsters the platform.

“I’m not playing cricket on anyone’s desire and will not stop playing cricket based on someone’s opinion. I’ve been justifying my selection for the last 17-18 years by my performances and will continue to do it. I will cut off this topic on this note that it’s my career, my choice,” Hafeez said.

Hafeez also stated that his aim is still to play the ICC T20 World Cup in Australia, which is in uncertainty due to COVID-19 tensions.

“I decided to retire after playing the T20 World Cup, if this tournament postpones or have some changes in its schedule, I will maintain myself to play the tournament,” he added.

Hafeez also requested the International Cricket Council (ICC) to view bowling angle regulations which were implemented a few years back and had a strict impact on off-spinners.

“Beauty of the game has disappeared due to some regulations. The excitement between the ball and bat has been limited. In order to protect and modernize this game, some changes must be considered,” he added.

Hafeez on the question of returning back to Test cricket on England tour said if any situation appears on the tour to play then he is available.

It must be noted that Hafeez retired from the elite format of the game in 2018 against New Zealand because he wanted to focus on white-ball cricket.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced a 29-player squad for three Tests and three T20Is against England. The Pakistan team will leave for ‘bio-secure’ England tour on June 28 via a chartered plane.

https://arysports.tv/my-career-my-choice-hafeez-retirement-questions/

 

[Sunny_majoka]

Oh, GOD, he's going nowhere

 

[Bewal Express]

On which planet? A guy that would have been lucky to play one 4 year cycle for most countries is still around after a mediocre career.

 

[TeymurBlake]

Oh FGS

 

[Firebat]

Will be available even if T20 World Cup is postponed: Hafeez

Lahore, June 15 (IANS) Mohammad Hafeez will wait for the T20 World Cup to take place even if it happens next year before calling it a day from international cricket, the veteran Pakistan all-rounder said on Monday.

Hafeez, 39, added he wants to help the team win the T20 World Cup slated to take place in Australia and is not bothered about former players like Rameez Raja asking for seniors like him and Shoaib Malik to make way for youngsters.

"My plan was to retire after the T20 World Cup. I have always lived up to the (fitness) requirements needed to be in the team. I will wait for the T20 World Cup to take place and I will keep myself fit and ready to perform," Hafeez told reporters during a video conference facilitated by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

"I will step aside. But yes I will be available even if the T20 World Cup is postponed. I am fit. My dream is to win a World Cup for Pakistan and then quit," said the 39-year old who has been named in the 29-member Pakistan squad for three Tests and as many T20Is against England to be played in August-September.

Asked about former skipper Raja's comments, he said: "He is entitled to his opinion. I don't play cricket on the basis of what others say. I will not leave cricket on the basis of what others say. I hope to continue to serve Pakistan. So my career, my wish."

PCB did not award central contracts to seniors like Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Amir but chief selector and head coach Misbah-ul-Haq has said they are in their plans.

Quizzed about his take on ICC's ban on use of saliva on the ball, Hafeez said he is happy as long as cricket is resuming and these "small" changes are temporary and can be adjusted with.

"Life is a challenge. Personally I feel cricket resuming gives me greater joy and for that I am willing to neglect small changes in rule. It will be back and it is a temporary change I feel.

"I have been injured a lot of times and I managed to come back. So it's similar. We need to sacrifice for the game to continue and we need to be ready to do it," said Hafeez who has played 55 Tests, 218 ODIs and 91 T20s for Pakistan since making his debut in 2003.

Hafeez also said he does not think the team will require his services for the Test side in England, if need be he will make a U-turn on his decision to focus on white-ball cricket.

"All these players will go and return in one flight. There cannot be any replacement keeping safety in mind. I hope the situation does not arise where I have to play Test cricket again. But I will always put my hand up if the team needs me."

https://www.outlookindia.com/newssc...-if-t20-world-cup-is-postponed-hafeez/1866763

 

[coy0607]

I've been hearing the same rona-dhona from Hafeez for last 17-18 years

This guys has played over 350 and is still consistently selected to play for Pakistan - yet he whines like he's been treated worse than Fawad Alam

Grow up Hafeez!

 

[Rana]

Yes Professor. Love his self entitled comments.

“You are not where I want to see you, I am exactly where you need to see me”

 

[Shoaibbtt]

You've not justified jack Hafeez. Apart from one good innings against England in WC 2019 you threw your wicket away.

There are bags of guys who can do a better job than you. Umar Amin, Haider Ali, Amer Yamin etc. You are only there because you are mates with Misbah otherwise anyone with half a brain would kick you to the kerb.

 

[gazza619]

Yes Professor. Love his self entitled comments.

“You are not where I want to see you, I am exactly where you need to see me”

Haha, good one!

 

[saeed5646]

Too early to judge but babar azam captaincy doesn't inspire me much .he was very vocal about inclusion of malik and hafeez Pakistan t20 team after sl,aus t20 series debacle.

I won't be surprised if malik and hafeez make it to 2021 t20 worldcup .there career would have ended only if babar azam have showed some guts and persisted with younger players

 

[Majid Khan]

Hafeez is going to make me redundant on this forum if he carries on with cracking all the Hafeez jokes himself.

“I’ve been justifying my selection for the last 17-18 years by my performances and will continue to do it” <— now that’s a good one!

 

[Shazzam]

Good on Hafeez for serving Pakistan cricket over franchise cricket. He is a class act. Watching him bat makes me proud to be a Pakistani. Him and Shoaib Malik are needed to boost our chances of winning the next Twenty20 World Cup.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

Hafeez is going to make me redundant on this forum if he carries on with cracking all the Hafeez jokes himself.

“I’ve been justifying my selection for the last 17-18 years by my performances and will continue to do it” <— now that’s a good one!

Good on Hafeez for serving Pakistan cricket over franchise cricket. He is a class act. Watching him bat makes me proud to be a Pakistani. Him and Shoaib Malik are needed to boost our chances of winning the next Twenty20 World Cup.

We’re all comedians now, are we

 

[Gullycricket]

Will be available for 2023 WC also since my career my choice. Come-on somebody boot these people to make them realize nobody is above the team interests. Failure in pressure situations and saying justified his place

 

[Mamoon]

This is Misbah’s legacy. Every Pakistani cricketer thinks he can play till 45.

 

[MenInG]

This is Misbah’s legacy. Every Pakistani cricketer thinks he can play till 45.

He wins you a World Cup - all is forgotten. The way of the world.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

This is Misbah’s legacy. Every Pakistani cricketer thinks he can play till 45.

Using your logic, it’s Imran Khan’s legacy that began it all.

 

[Forward Defensive Push]

No thanks!

 

[Bigboii]

Joonk yeah that's the perfect word to describe MH relationship with PCT

 

[Majid Khan]

This is Misbah’s legacy. Every Pakistani cricketer thinks he can play till 45.

To be fair Misbah himself even at 40 odd performed as a batsman and earned his place on merit, he was never a burden on the team. In comparison we have others who are now approaching 40 who have been a burden on the team since their early 20’s - and they then claim they have justified their position for 17-18 years through performances. If you had delivered performances for that long , the world today will be acknowledging and applauding you as a legend of cricket .

It’s a tragedy of Pakistan cricket that such fine players like Mo Yusuf and Saeed Anwar managed to play barely a decade of international cricket , while certain mediocre and long term failures manage careers of nearly two decades.

 

[Forum363]

To be fair Misbah himself even at 40 odd performed as a batsman and earned his place on merit, he was never a burden on the team. In comparison we have others who are now approaching 40 who have been a burden on the team since their early 20’s - and they then claim they have justified their position for 17-18 years through performances. If you had delivered performances for that long , the world today will be acknowledging and applauding you as a legend of cricket .

It’s a tragedy of Pakistan cricket that such fine players like Mo Yusuf and Saeed Anwar managed to play barely a decade of international cricket , while certain mediocre and long term failures manage careers of nearly two decades.

That’s not true. Misbah outstayed his welcome each time and only left when the writing was on the wall.

For example he was a terrible t20 batsman for a while and during questions at press conferences he insisted he was good enough and would not retire.

And then in a T20s series decider in UAE against England, he came in at number 4 (I think) chasing a mediocre score (120ish) with Pakistan ahead of the rate and plenty of wickets in hand.

However his tuktuk lead to the asking rate rising and he was bowled on the last ball going for what should have been a straightforward win. He was then dropped.

 

[Hasan123]

Lol he is never retiring.

 

[Hitman]

Pata nahin bhai aap log iss insaan ko kaisen bardash karten hon!

I seriously don’t know how.

 

[Mamoon]

Using your logic, it’s Imran Khan’s legacy that began it all.

Imran’s case was a bit different. He retired at 36-37 but reversed his retirement when Zia-ul-Haq pleaded with him.

By the time he retired for good in 1992, he was primarily playing for his captaincy because he was finished as a bowler and his batting was just about decent.

Misbah on the other hand was a rare anomaly as [MENTION=452]Majid Khan[/MENTION] mentioned. In 150+ years of Test cricket, only a handful of players had the ability to perform at a good level into their 40s, and that is why the vast majority of players retire in their late 30’s.

Misbah has altered Pakistan cricket’s perception. We seem to have forgotten what age-related decline is. Without Misbah, we wouldn’t have made Azhar captain at retirement age and Hafeez would not be thinking about reversing his retirement at the age of 40.

These days, every 35 year old thinks of himself at the same level as 27-28 year olds in other countries, and this is becoming a problem for Pakistan cricket because of the abnormal precedence set by Misbah.

 

[zacattakk]

To be fair Misbah himself even at 40 odd performed as a batsman and earned his place on merit, he was never a burden on the team. In comparison we have others who are now approaching 40 who have been a burden on the team since their early 20’s - and they then claim they have justified their position for 17-18 years through performances. If you had delivered performances for that long , the world today will be acknowledging and applauding you as a legend of cricket &#55356;&#57295;.

It’s a tragedy of Pakistan cricket that such fine players like Mo Yusuf and Saeed Anwar managed to play barely a decade of international cricket , while certain mediocre and long term failures manage careers of nearly two decades.

Misbah was definitely a burden on the limited overs teams. He stubbornly stuck around for as long as he could.

 

[sweep_shot]

Hafeez should call it a day. No point in hanging around. He is almost 40.

 

[sshakir411]

yet another selfish player looking to milk the system for as long as he can. The onus lies on the ppl who let this average cricketer become relevant.