Mohammad Hafeez: “Congratulations Saud Shakeel on [your] double hundred in [a] difficult situation of the game, shows [your] technical growth, command & mental strength to fight in tough conditions”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Mohammad Hafeez, the former all-rounder, said Pakistan middle order batsman Saud Shakeel has improved leaps and bounds in regard to his batting.
His comments come after Shakeel scored a brilliant 208 not out in the two-Test series against Sri Lanka in July 2023, which was a career-best for him.
The 28-year-0ld finished the series with 295 runs at an average of 147.50 and has now scored 875 runs in seven Tests at an average of 87.50.
“Congratulations Saud Shakeel on [your] double hundred in [a] difficult situation of the game, shows [your] technical growth, command & mental strength to fight in tough conditions,” Hafeez said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
After the completion of the Sri Lanka Test series, Shakeel got the chance to play one ODI against Afghanistan and made nine runs.
He was then picked for the Asia Cup, but was not utilised at all by Pakistan.
Currently, he is part of Pakistan’s squad for the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup, which is being held in India.
The men in green started their campaign with an 81-run win over the Netherlands on October 6 in Hyderabad.
Shakeel was named Man of the Match for his career-best knock of 68, which came off 52 balls and included nine boundaries and a six.
Pakistan’s next match will be against Sri Lanka on October 10 in Hyderabad.
Pakistan Squad for 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam (capt), Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Usama Mir, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Hasan Ali