Mohammad Hafeez: “Don’t talk about that he cannot play [the] cut or pull, don’t forget that he played cricket for 22 years so he didn’t play these shots? We need to understand; we need proper cricketers with whom we can make winning combination whether he is 40 or 20”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez has demanded to know the real reason Shoaib Malik is not being picked in the team.
Malik is still playing at a high level and has made himself available for selection should the men in green require his services.
However, the 41-year-old all-rounder has not played international cricket since November 2021.
Many former players have thrown their support behind him, saying that he would be an ideal player for Pakistan, especially considering the team’s middle order batting problems and their lack of senior players.
However, time and time again, Malik has been overlooked by the selectors.
Hafeez feels it’s time to make it known why the veteran cricketer is not being given a chance if the other players trialled are failing to live up to expectations. He also said he doesn’t want to hear people talking about how Malik can’t play a cut or pull shot.
“If he had participated in the World Cup, the team would have got a senior player, don’t talk about that he cannot play [the] cut or pull, don’t forget that he played cricket for 22 years so he didn’t play these shots? We need to understand; we need proper cricketers with whom we can make winning combination whether he is 40 or 20,” he told Cricket Pakistan.
Malik will now represent the Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) after being traded to them from the Peshawar Zalmi with Haider Ali in exchange for Pakistan captain Babar Azam.
The Kings’ opening game in PSL 8 will be against the Zalmi on February 14.
Karachi Kings Squad for PSL 8: Haider Ali, Imran Tahir, Matthew Wade, Imad Wasim, James Fuller, James Vince, Andrew Tye, Mohammad Amir, Shoaib Malik, Aamer Yamin, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Akhlaq, Sharjeel Khan, Tayyab Tahir, Irfan Khan Niazi, Qasim Akram, Mohammad Umar, Tabraiz Shamsi, Ben Cutting, Musa Khan and Faisal Akram