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Time to admit it - Mohammad 'The Professor' Hafeez is dearly missed by this team

ShahKhan007

ShahKhan007

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Nov 21, 2014
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Hafeez us a must in this line up in place of Asif Ali. This team is much better with Hafeez in the squad than without him.
 
No he isn't. Just a typical case of a player being perceived as 10x better once he is dropped.
 
He is a perfect number 6 in this team. Can hit freely too. Was dearly missed. I know I will get a lot of flak for this but I don’t see Asif Ali’s potential in oDi. Should be replaced with hafeez.
 
On these kind of pitches with his economical spin bowling he could have been a better choice than some of those playing.
 
He's one of the best utility players around.

Was the best all-rounder in the world (ICC top ranked) for several years. And there's a reason for that.

Also helped win us the champions trophy with his batting.

That's because he can play pace bowling unlike Malik and Sarfraz. And even accelerate against pacers.

He could've been the difference here in the two matches vs. Ind.
 
Hafeez is 10x better than Asif Ali, Imam and Faheem. He can hit big down the order and bowl with good economy. He should be used as a finisher. But Pak management always puts him up the order where he becomes a liability. He is actually good as a finisher.
 
Hafeez was the obvious choice for such tracks. Dont know the reason of his non-selection. Probably wanted to keep him out for WC.

Anyway, enjoy constant trashing.
 
As long as he ain’t abusing top 6 batting position, bat him at 7 usefull bowler/fielder.
 
Just play a specialist spinner instead of one of the pacers - why must we make things harder for ourselves ?
 
He has been rubbish with the ball in recent years and is 37 years old. Indian batsmen would have had no problem with him today and the rest of the teams in the tournament we can beat without him.

He won't help us against top teams.
 
Correct... Hafeez must with such a lot of experience.. Plus now he can also bowl.. Added advantage..For worldcup
Sarfaraz
Fakhar
Babar
Haris
Malik
Hafeez
 
Hasan123 said:
He has been rubbish with the ball in recent years and is 37 years old. Indian batsmen would have had no problem with him today and the rest of the teams in the tournament we can beat without him.

He won't help us against top teams.
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On the contrary, he's the only senior who can and does bat against the top teams.

Was the only batsman scoring in New Zealand. And did very well in champions trophy.

He's unlike Malik in this case, Malik completely goes missing against half decent teams or pacers.
 
Was it a mistake by Pakistan not to include Mohammad Hafeez?

Apart from Shoaib Malik Pakistan were clearly missing experience in the middle order. And given Fakar's failure at the top order, there was no one to support Malik in the middle order. One of the main contributing factors for the CT victory was Hafeez's knock which was missing today.

Are Pakistan relying too much on the bits and pieces players such as Asif, Nawaz, Fahim and Shahdab has been a recipe for failure besides the pitch easing out in the second half for batting. Your thoughts ?
 
No. But we can bring him back against South Africa and drop him after that
 
As I mentioned in the match thread, its not the inclusion or subtraction of one or two players that will make the difference. Its the the increase professionalism, hard work and mindset that needa to be altered.
 
We are definitely missing an off spinning all rounder but whether that’s hafeez or some other as yet unidentified person I don’t know. Hafeez is fantastic batting in the slower wickets of Asia but just not convinced about his bowling anymore. Malik is only good for a couple of tidy overs and clearly in the team for his batting
 
Titan24 said:
As I mentioned in the match thread, its not the inclusion or subtraction of one or two players that will make the difference. Its the the increase professionalism, hard work and mindset that needa to be altered.
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Hafeez's exclusion in this match was the difference between Pakistan getting to 300 and what they eventually achieved in this game. The stage was set perfectly by Malik and Sarfaraz but they didn't have firepower down the order to set 300 - a total that was absolutely vital to contain India and the impotent pitch.
 
Abid Z said:
We are definitely missing an off spinning all rounder but whether that’s hafeez or some other as yet unidentified person I don’t know. Hafeez is fantastic batting in the slower wickets of Asia but just not convinced about his bowling anymore. Malik is only good for a couple of tidy overs and clearly in the team for his batting
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The WC will be played in England, i believe the selection committee and team management is trying to find a combination that can work there.
 
Savak said:
The WC will be played in England, i believe the selection committee and team management is trying to find a combination that can work there.
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Is there a decent off spinner in Pakistan or has the arrival of stricter testing made them all redundant? I’d love to know the answer to this. Seems we have tonnes of left arm finger spinners and a few decent leggies but an off spinner gives control even when not taking wickets. Surely there must be at least 1?
 
Horrible blunder to sit him out.

One of the most utility players we have, can play fast bowlers and his spin would have been better than any other spinner that we have in the team.
 
So the solution to Pak's struggles lately is to bring back an almost 38 year old TTF? Great idea!
 
Hawkeye said:
Horrible blunder to sit him out.

One of the most utility players we have, can play fast bowlers and his spin would have been better than any other spinner that we have in the team.
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Are you looking short term or long term?

The way I see it, bringing him back might give you short term pleasure, but in the longer run you are feeding his ego that there is no one in Pakistan who can replace you, even though you are 37 years old.

A bit of like how Misbah continued playing till 40.

Do you really want 3 years of Hafeez as a sitting duck against most teams?
 
Dr_Bassim said:
Are you looking short term or long term?

The way I see it, bringing him back might give you short term pleasure, but in the longer run you are feeding his ego that there is no one in Pakistan who can replace you, even though you are 37 years old.

A bit of like how Misbah continued playing till 40.

Do you really want 3 years of Hafeez as a sitting duck against most teams?
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This is true! There is no off spinning all rounder in Pakistan. For that matter there is also nobody who offers misbah’s solidity either.

Whether hafeez at 37 with a remodelled action merits a place in the team is another point though.
 
He is far more suited to whatever the roles the likes of Asif and Shadab are pretending to play for Pakistan at the moment.
 
I think the selectors had to make a tough call with Hafeez, If he is not going to be going to be at the world cup, no need for him at Asia cup either, was clearly missed though, tracks are well suited for him.
 
They have missed him for sure, He is a better player over all than Nawaz and wicket have been conducive to spin bowling. However I think they should save him for the WC as far as bowling is concerned as he tends to get banned very quickly.
 
Dr_Bassim said:
Are you looking short term or long term?

The way I see it, bringing him back might give you short term pleasure, but in the longer run you are feeding his ego that there is no one in Pakistan who can replace you, even though you are 37 years old.

A bit of like how Misbah continued playing till 40.

Do you really want 3 years of Hafeez as a sitting duck against most teams?
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We need him till world cup 2019. Can be discarded after that. His bowling and batting both very handy for a tournament like that. Was also good in the champions trophy.

Mamoon said:
He is far more suited to whatever the roles the likes of Asif and Shadab are pretending to play for Pakistan at the moment.
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Or Nawaz even. As a batsman he's miles better than our current middle order.
 
He's a very underrated hitter of the cricket ball.

He's best suited for number 6.

Fakhar
Babar
Haris
Sarfraz
Malik
Hafeez
Asif <-- If only he can learn to bowl some mixed pakoras.
Imad
Hasan
Shaheen
Amir
 
Replacing defects with defects to a fix a problem - classic Pakistan.
 
His lower order hitting is missed yes. Shadab and Nawaz could barely hit a boundary yesterday and they played a fair number of balls. That being said, hafeez couldn't have done anything to change the outcome if we look at the scorecards. It's not the lower order batsmen we need as much as proper middle order batsmen, the platform has to be set for the lower order to come out and hit, the lower order is not suppose to set the platform and then try make a game out of it.
 
For people who've been on this site for more than ten years, they will remember countless threads dedicated to serially mediocre afridi on his multiple exiles from this team.

Nothing, I repeat, nothing has hurt Pakistan more than this mediocre tail of the 90's generation that played cricket long after their sell-by date: afridi, hafeez, malik
These cricketers basically sent a strong signal to the younger generation: you can be mediocre and still have a long career.

Typical cycle would be
1 - start season against Sl/ Bangladesh (of the past, not current)/Zimbabwe/west indies and look like a champion cricketer
2 - flounder spectacularly in test/odi against a stronger team mid season - australia/saffers (India of the past was not that strong) and then get dropped after falling out with coach
3 - 3 month period in which coach has to literally put together a new team before a major ICC event
4 - young team fails in ICC tournament --> dropped mediocre cricketers starting plotting for comeback and against coach/captain/selectors with help of sympathetic media
5 - spinless PCB buckles and sacks coach, captain, selectors
6 - mediocre cricket returns triumphantly as captain with new set up and proceed to dominate against weak teams as itinerary becomes easier again.
 
Pete Rose said:
For people who've been on this site for more than ten years, they will remember countless threads dedicated to serially mediocre afridi on his multiple exiles from this team.

Nothing, I repeat, nothing has hurt Pakistan more than this mediocre tail of the 90's generation that played cricket long after their sell-by date: afridi, hafeez, malik
These cricketers basically sent a strong signal to the younger generation: you can be mediocre and still have a long career.

Typical cycle would be
1 - start season against Sl/ Bangladesh (of the past, not current)/Zimbabwe/west indies and look like a champion cricketer
2 - flounder spectacularly in test/odi against a stronger team mid season - australia/saffers (India of the past was not that strong) and then get dropped after falling out with coach
3 - 3 month period in which coach has to literally put together a new team before a major ICC event
4 - young team fails in ICC tournament --> dropped mediocre cricketers starting plotting for comeback and against coach/captain/selectors with help of sympathetic media
5 - spinless PCB buckles and sacks coach, captain, selectors
6 - mediocre cricket returns triumphantly as captain with new set up and proceed to dominate against weak teams as itinerary becomes easier again.
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And also because we never had suitable replacements for those players.

Malik 2.0 and Hafeez 2.0 were/are pretty good.
 
Ned Flanders said:
And also because we never had suitable replacements for those players.

Malik 2.0 and Hafeez 2.0 were/are pretty good.
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yes this is the other excuse: we have "no suitable replacements" for guys who have been bashing lesser teams for a decade and ALWAYS fail against better teams.
Because, you know, just because such and such player has failed for ten years in tough conditions and better teams, the 11th year will be the year he turns it around.
Such naivety
 
Pete Rose said:
yes this is the other excuse: we have "no suitable replacements" for guys who have been bashing lesser teams for a decade and ALWAYS fail against better teams.
Because, you know, just because such and such player has failed for ten years in tough conditions and better teams, the 11th year will be the year he turns it around.
Such naivety
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Pakistani Cricketers as a whole have ALWAYS struggled in tough conditions.
 
I think we need Asif Ali but we could do with Hafeez instead of Sarfaraz (I know, impossible an it wont work logistically...duh)

I would rather have Asif Ali or Imam ul Haq keep as part timers and have Hafeez in this team. The other logistical drop would be to have Hafeez in the side instead of Imam. But Imam has been averaging 65 and will probably score another 50 against bangladesh.
 
Ned Flanders said:
Pakistani Cricketers as a whole have ALWAYS struggled in tough conditions.
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Tough conditions? These are taylor made conditions to bat all day, Kevin Pietersen a few years back scored so many hundreds against us as an opener on these tracks. Rohit is now doing the same. The Hong Kong openers showed that runs are to be made if you want to bat! We just dont want to bat out there!
 
Ned Flanders said:
Pakistani Cricketers as a whole have ALWAYS struggled in tough conditions.
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No. Just the mediocre ones we keep bringing back agains and again. The younger ones get discarded after their first tough tour. The mediocre ones get to keep coming back
 
Pete Rose said:
No. Just the mediocre ones we keep bringing back agains and again. The younger ones get discarded after their first tough tour. The mediocre ones get to keep coming back
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Because the fans/management don't have the patience.

Some are already calling to the current lot.
 
Horses for courses guys horses for courses. Nawaz can't improve and I would take Hafeez over Nawaz even when the former is 40 .
 
Tabishbeigh said:
Horses for courses guys horses for courses. Nawaz can't improve and I would take Hafeez over Nawaz even when the former is 40 .
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Hafeez is good even for World Cup 2019. Will enjoy the flat decks with good pace there as he has the ability to score off pacers.
 
He can't do any worse then our current team full of tail end batsmen.
 
PakLFC said:
He can't do any worse then our current team full of tail end batsmen.
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Malik is the only one that I have some faith in to score atleast a 50 (v India). I don't have the same faith for any other batsmen in this team in this asia cup. Against India, it seems the players forget their profession.
 
specially in these conditions he would have been a better option than most of our superstars
 
shokz1408 said:
Malik is the only one that I have some faith in to score atleast a 50 (v India). I don't have the same faith for any other batsmen in this team in this asia cup. Against India, it seems the players forget their profession.
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Our tail starts with the slogger Asif Ali. Where top quality batsmen should come in we have Sarfaraz and Asif Ali taking care of business. Sarfaraz should be coming in at 7 followed by four bowlers. There has to be a place for a proper batting or bowling all rounder who is capable of doing both jobs. Someone like an Abdul Razzaq.
 
YousafTheBeast said:
If he was playing now he’d be reported for his action and banned before the wc!
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100 percent correct. Hence why Sarfraz and Mickey have said he is still part of the plans. They are saving him for it to prevent him getting banned like ajmal did before a major tournament.
 
Should pakistan be picking the team according to the conditions?

There was a time hafeez performed well in the UAE, but struggled every time he played outside these conditions. At the time I thought if he can't perform anywhere he shouldn't be selected. But after watching such dire performances, maybe the horses for courses route should be adopted. Fakhar seems to be the opposite, struggling in the UAE, but performing outside of asian conditions.
 
Mohammed Hafeez needed in 2019 World Cup squad

The player, Mohammed Hafeez, and remains the backbone of Pakistan limited overs cricket, as well as the Test format. For now, all attention is on the upcoming World Cup of 2019. Pakistan has had a rough going in the ongoing Asia Cup 2018, after large defeats to India twice and a cruel narrow victory to the lowly ranked Afghani side.

Now a huge change to Pakistan ODI team is warranted if Pakistan wants to succeed. One change that is incumbent upon Pakistan is the inclusion of Mohammad Hafeez, the most direly needed player in the whole country.

Pakistan NEEDS Mohammed Hafeez in the 15-man Squad that will be in England & Wales tournament next year. His talent and range of abilities is unbelievable. He is a platinum all-rounder.

You can put him in any batting position:

*He is an opening new-ball batsmen
*He is a middle order accumulating batsmen
*He is a low order accelerating batsmen


He is so much more than a bowling option:

*He is extremely economic
*He is a genuine attacking wicket taker
*He bowls off-spin
*He has wide range of variations


He is a good fielder:

*He can field well at the slips
*He has safe hands
*He fields at any position


More things great about him:

*He has experience of hundreds of matches
*He can be successful back-up captain
 
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I think he could make the team to the world cup, and could be somewhat effective as a lower order batsmen.
 
I wish they kept him at number 6 after the CT, instead of moving him back up to number 4. Could have been a good finisher for us.
 
QalandarFan said:
I wish they kept him at number 6 after the CT, instead of moving him back up to number 4. Could have been a good finisher for us.
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I have been a loooong time basher/hater of Hafeez until he was moved down to number 6. People still have flashbacks of his ineffective useless batting top of the order but down the order he was phenomenal. The way he finished games by finding gaps and hitting sixes on merit. He was more aggressive and positive in his approach and actually looked like a proper batsman. This dude looked like a natural fit at number 6. I don't know what happened and why they dropped him when he was about to resurrect his career.
 
shehz said:
I have been a loooong time basher/hater of Hafeez until he was moved down to number 6. People still have flashbacks of his ineffective useless batting top of the order but down the order he was phenomenal. The way he finished games by finding gaps and hitting sixes on merit. He was more aggressive and positive in his approach and actually looked like a proper batsman. This dude looked like a natural fit at number 6. I don't know what happened and why they dropped him when he was about to resurrect his career.
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This when he comes out down the order at 6 he is forced to pla his shots. The thing then is he got selected for the tour of NZ but they moved him back up to number 4. Like why? If your gonna play him might as well play him at 6 where he will be of some use.
 
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