Was Mohammad Hafeez the best Pakistani cricketer of the last decade?

[Bleedgreen4ever]

Well out of all crickters he is the one with the most MOM and MOS awards

Plus

MOM in WC QF in 2011 that led Pakistan to their first and only SF in this decade
MOM against eventual champions in the 2019 WC
MOM against AUS in MCG when he captained the side (PAK only win in AUS this decade)
Average of almost 40 in Test and 50+ in Asia though he struggled BIG TIME outside Asia.
MOS in India in 2012
Played a huge role in the CT Final 2017


No other Pakistani cricketer comes even close.

Ajmal was good in his years but only lasted 3 years.
Babar started in 2015 so can't say anything.
Afridi was trash apart from 4-5 performances and always failed in crucial WC encounters
Misbah has been a curse on Pakistan cricket, probably the worst Pakistani LOI captain. In tests he has a notable performance against ENG at Lord's . His test record outside of Asia is humiliating to say the least.

What's your say?

 

[Kroll]

Was that a typo, did you mean the worst?

In any case, he was probably the biggest mental midget and he was a bottler.

 

[Abdullah719]

Sums up what an awful decade it was for Pakistan.

 

[Hyperion66]

Definitely one of the most impactful. His strengths are often underrated in this forum and weaknesses are scrutinized to the last bits. His knock in the CT Final was the main reason we lost the game. We were still very much in the game after Fakhar got out and then Hafiz came all gun blazing out of nowhere and blew us away. That knock was as devastating as it was demoralizing for us. No one including hardcore Pak fans expected such rampage. It was timely as hell considering Babar was struggling to up the ante as always. He took the game away in a matter if few overs. We lost the game right there, credit where it is due. Even in his last legs won a match against Aus in Aus, against SA in SA and another super impact match winning knock against England in WC. Things that sabka ladla master of the universe Babar Azam is yet to do.

 

[Rana]

You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become a villain

 

[HappyWarsFan]

You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become a villain

In the case of this thread,.you either die a villain or live long enough to become a hero. Like Hafeez here.

 

[CadPakFan]

Definitely one of the most impactful. His strengths are often underrated in this forum and weaknesses are scrutinized to the last bits. His knock in the CT Final was the main reason we lost the game. We were still very much in the game after Fakhar got out and then Hafiz came all gun blazing out of nowhere and blew us away. That knock was as devastating as it was demoralizing for us. No one including hardcore Pak fans expected such rampage. It was timely as hell considering Babar was struggling to up the ante as always. He took the game away in a matter if few overs. We lost the game right there, credit where it is due. Even in his last legs won a match against Aus in Aus, against SA in SA and another super impact match winning knock against England in WC. Things that sabka ladla master of the universe Babar Azam is yet to do.

Babar did play a match winning knock against NZ in the WC, just saying.

 

[moghul]

He has been the worst to play that long. There have been worst than him but they faded away soon, but he some how was lucky to have people like Misbah as captain and now selector, even though he was banned hundred time for cheating/chucking.

 

[Kroll]

Definitely one of the most impactful. His strengths are often underrated in this forum and weaknesses are scrutinized to the last bits. His knock in the CT Final was the main reason we lost the game. We were still very much in the game after Fakhar got out and then Hafiz came all gun blazing out of nowhere and blew us away. That knock was as devastating as it was demoralizing for us. No one including hardcore Pak fans expected such rampage. It was timely as hell considering Babar was struggling to up the ante as always. He took the game away in a matter if few overs. We lost the game right there, credit where it is due. Even in his last legs won a match against Aus in Aus, against SA in SA and another super impact match winning knock against England in WC. Things that sabka ladla master of the universe Babar Azam is yet to do.

If AA and Fakhar hadn't laid the platform, he would be nowhere to be seen.

 

[topspin]

It was Younis Khan, who scored 4,839 test runs at an average of 54.37 with 18 tons.

Yes he was poor in ODIs over this period, but because there was no stand out performer in the shorter formats and as Pakistan had a white ball decade record to forget there is no one who comes close second. But if I had to pick the next man in the list it would have to be Babar despite having only played for Pakistan for half of the last decade.

 

[sshakir411]

Fun fact: Mohammad Hafeez was a full-time off spinner until someone decided to send him up the order

 

[Amjid Javed]

Clearly shows how pathetic a decade it was for pakistan if people think hafeez was the best player.

 

[Titan24]

In ODIs he was the highest run scorer for Pakistan in the last decade with more than 5000 runs. We didnt produce much in the last decade untill 2016/17. It was overall a poor decade for Pak cricket in ODIs.

 

[barah_admi]

Well out of all crickters he is the one with the most MOM and MOS awards

Plus

MOM in WC QF in 2011 that led Pakistan to their first and only SF in this decade
MOM against eventual champions in the 2019 WC
MOM against AUS in MCG when he captained the side (PAK only win in AUS this decade)
Average of almost 40 in Test and 50+ in Asia though he struggled BIG TIME outside Asia.
MOS in India in 2012
Played a huge role in the CT Final 2017


No other Pakistani cricketer comes even close.

Ajmal was good in his years but only lasted 3 years.
Babar started in 2015 so can't say anything.
Afridi was trash apart from 4-5 performances and always failed in crucial WC encounters
Misbah has been a curse on Pakistan cricket, probably the worst Pakistani LOI captain. In tests he has a notable performance against ENG at Lord's . His test record outside of Asia is humiliating to say the least.

What's your say?

You know Younis Khan played in the last decade right?

 

[The Viper]

Well for the majority of the decade our batting in ODI’s was ancient, and Hafeez had a few decent performances in a decade of mediocrity.

The emergence of Babar and Imam should make this a better decade.

 

[Cric1234]

Without looking at the results one must assume this was a bad decade for Pakistan....



And be right.

 

[coy0607]

Interesting idea. Some stats would be helpful to evaluate.

Hafeez, Babar, Ajmal, Afridi, Younis, Sarfraz, Yasir all primary contenders (unless I missed someone). Looking at those names, Hafeez may be amongst the 2-3 best, but I would take Babar's 3 years over everyone. Otherwise Younis

 

[moghul]

Interesting idea. Some stats would be helpful to evaluate.

Hafeez, Babar, Ajmal, Afridi, Younis, Sarfraz, Yasir all primary contenders (unless I missed someone). Looking at those names, Hafeez may be amongst the 2-3 best, but I would take Babar's 3 years over everyone. Otherwise Younis

Ajmal was big time chucker and Hafeez too, they should be discredited for this reason.

 

[Junaids]

Hafeez has the Second Worst Test Batting Record in Cricket History Outside Asia!

And in terms of his bowling, he is a Four Times Convicted Chucker.

 

[Hyperion66]

Babar did play a match winning knock against NZ in the WC, just saying.

That was just one match after playing like 70+ matches, Hafiz at the fag end of his career was still more impactful and a bigger match winner than your knight in shining armor Babar Azam. Won matches in Australia and SA, something Babar will probably never be able to match.

 

[Hyperion66]

If AA and Fakhar hadn't laid the platform, he would be nowhere to be seen.

If Bumrah hadn't bowl that no ball your CT cup would be nowhere to be seen. Just sad when fine posters like you let your disliking for someone cloud your judgement.

 

[Ted123]

Well out of all crickters he is the one with the most MOM and MOS awards

Plus

MOM in WC QF in 2011 that led Pakistan to their first and only SF in this decade
MOM against eventual champions in the 2019 WC
MOM against AUS in MCG when he captained the side (PAK only win in AUS this decade)
Average of almost 40 in Test and 50+ in Asia though he struggled BIG TIME outside Asia.
MOS in India in 2012
Played a huge role in the CT Final 2017


No other Pakistani cricketer comes even close.

Ajmal was good in his years but only lasted 3 years.
Babar started in 2015 so can't say anything.
Afridi was trash apart from 4-5 performances and always failed in crucial WC encounters
Misbah has been a curse on Pakistan cricket, probably the worst Pakistani LOI captain. In tests he has a notable performance against ENG at Lord's . His test record outside of Asia is humiliating to say the least.

What's your say?

It has to be Younis Khan. His test exploits are enough to give him this.

 

[sharmaji]

No way. Younis, Afridi and even Misbah are easily better. I would even rank Babar above him, but that's my bias.

 

[Abdullah]

When you put it like that.....

 

[umerz]

Sums up what an awful decade it was for Pakistan.

agreed. came to say the same

 

[Majid Khan]

Back when I was a kid, for rating a batsmen the only stat that mattered was batting average.

And if you were serious about cricket, it was batting average against the strongest bowling attacks.

Obviously that’s a very outdated way of thinking and I’m trying to modernise my thinking on cricket - but how does Hafeez compare on this aspect with other quality batsmen of the last decade ?

 

[Hawkeye]

He was never good enough in Tests.

Let's talk about LOIs, where he did contribute a lot. He's often underrated.

Was ranked the best all-rounder for a long time.

When playing freely, he's a joy to watch and hardly anyone else in Pak can play scoring shots like he does. That doesn't happen too often unfortunately, but he's done it quite a few times.

We don't have any such all-rounder today to match the quality of Hafeezs batting or bowling.

I wouldn't say he was the best cricketer, but a very utility cricketer in LOIs - yep!

 

[Mamoon]

Hafeez can be underrated at times. He is the best timer in the country and is one of the few players who can play all the shots especially against pace when he gets going. However, I won’t take these so-called records and stats too seriously because Hafeez has been forced down our throats in the last decade.

He is like that guy in street cricket who brings all the bats, balls and the chair from his garden (as wickets) As a result, he is always the opening batsman and the opening bowler and often gets multiple turns.

As far as his bowling is concerned, he has no credibility. He is barely a part-timer with a legal action.

I think the best cricketer of the 2010 decade for Pakistan has to be Younis, notwithstanding his terrible performances in ODIs and the various other shenanigans.

 

[Majid Khan]

He was never good enough in Tests.

Let's talk about LOIs, where he did contribute a lot. He's often underrated.

Was ranked the best all-rounder for a long time.

When playing freely, he's a joy to watch and hardly anyone else in Pak can play scoring shots like he does. That doesn't happen too often unfortunately, but he's done it quite a few times.

We don't have any such all-rounder today to match the quality of Hafeezs batting or bowling.

I wouldn't say he was the best cricketer, but a very utility cricketer in LOIs - yep!

While I don’t disagree with that necessarily if you are saying he was a handy utility cricketer in LOIs after having played a decade of international cricket — I would probably argue that if you select a random ‘chai wala’, ‘sabzi wala’ or ‘naryal pani wala’ who’s played village level cricket and give him an apprenticeship with the Pakistan cricket team ; In other words, more or less guarantee him a place in the test, ODI and T20 team for the next 10 years — by the 11th year I’m sure even he would become a handy ‘utility’ cricketer just purely from the confidence the selectors/team management have in him and from the vast international experience and being given the opportunity to learn ‘on the job’.

 

[Hawkeye]

It's laughable to suggest Younis's name for this. He excelled in Tests no doubt, but was hopelessly bad and awful in both ODIs and T20s.

There's only one cricketer who excelled in all the 3 formats for the majority of the decade - Misbah ul Haq, always lead from the front too with his individual performances.

Hafeez isn't that person but he's quite underrated - a very utility cricketer.

 

[Hawkeye]

While I don’t disagree with that necessarily if you are saying he was a handy utility cricketer in LOIs after having played a decade of international cricket — I would probably argue that if you select a random ‘chai wala’, ‘sabzi wala’ or ‘naryal pani wala’ who’s played village level cricket and give him an apprenticeship with the Pakistan cricket team ; In other words, more or less guarantee him a place in the test, ODI and T20 team for the next 10 years — by the 11th year I’m sure even he would become a handy ‘utility’ cricketer just purely from the confidence the selectors/team management have in him and from the vast international experience and being given the opportunity to learn ‘on the job’.

Come on now, he wasn't that bad.

I don't think you can be ranked as the best in the world by just fluking it.

Or play shots all around the ground with amazing timing when on song, by just fluking it.

He did have talent but his stubbornness to open and play the new ball didn't do him any good.

That's why he isn't the best but isn't the worst either. A utility player. We've tried many others who couldn't be as good as Hafeez. Nawaz, Anwar Ali, Asif and many others.

 

[Majid Khan]

Come on now, he wasn't that bad.

I don't think you can be ranked as the best in the world by just fluking it.

Or play shots all around the ground with amazing timing when on song, by just fluking it.

He did have talent but his stubbornness to open and play the new ball didn't do him any good.

That's why he isn't the best but isn't the worst either. A utility player. We've tried many others who couldn't be as good as Hafeez. Nawaz, Anwar Ali, Asif and many others.

He’s only ‘the best in the world’ in my parallel imaginary universe where he has scored big 150s and double centuries in difficult circumstances at Perth, Sydney, Joburg, Cape Town, Headingley against the world’s premier fast bowlers , and boasts a batting average above 50 in all formats ( as does Shoaib Malik in that imaginary parallel universe, for that matter ).

As far as cricket played on planet earth goes, he developed himself after 10 years into a handy ‘utility’ cricketer in ODI/T20 I will agree with that

 

[AFM]

)

No, it was Younis Khan