Ramiz Raja: “One should think about Pakistan instead of being selfish because nobody will back you”
Image courtesy of: Ary Sports
Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja has slammed power-hitter Mohammad Hafeez for being so selfish.
This comes after Hafeez was left out of Pakistan’s squad for the upcoming T20 series against South Africa.
Hafeez is currently featuring for the Maratha Arabians in the T10 League in Abu Dhabi, but won’t return to Pakistan in time to be part of the bio-secure bubble ahead of the three-match series against the Proteas.
However, big-hitter Asif Ali was picked for the series, even though he is also playing in the T10 League.
Ramiz noted that Hafeez’s decision to prioritise the T10 League over playing for Pakistan was a selfish decision.
“International teams are now coming to Pakistan so it is imperative that everyone religiously follows Covid-19 protocols,” he said on his YouTube channel as quoted by Cricket Pakistan.
“Among those playing in T10 League, Asif Ali is coming but not Mohammad Hafeez because he doesn’t want to end his contract. This shows the level of thinking because, considering the situation, we should be prepared to follow the necessary protocols even if there are last minute changes.
“If you look at Haris Rauf, he left [the] Big Bash League to join Pakistan’s Test squad which shows what his priority is. If Pakistan is your priority then you are headed in the right direction. If you want to serve the leagues at the cost of selection for Pakistan team, then you are certainly not on the right path. One should think about Pakistan instead of being selfish because nobody will back you.”
Hafeez accumulated 140 runs in the three-match T20 series against New Zealand, which included a career-best score of 99 not out, at an average of 70 and a strike-rate of 160.91.
He also ended 2020 as the highest run-scorer in T20 Internationals with 415 runs in 10 games, which includes four fifties, at an average of 83 and a strike-rate of 152.57.
The T20 series between Pakistan and South Africa gets underway on February 11, with all three matches being held in Lahore.
Pakistan squad for T20 series against South Africa: Babar Azam (c), Aamer Yamin, Amad Butt, Asif Ali, Danish Aziz, Faheem Ashraf, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hussain Talat, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Qadir, Zafar Gohar and Zahid Mehmood