Mohammad Hafeez has retired from international cricket, ending a splendid career that spanned across 18 years. He will continue to continue to play and be available for T20 franchise cricket in the different leagues across the world.
His is a name that has been synonymous with Pakistan cricket for the better part of the past two decades. He has been a loyal servant to the game for the longest time, plying his all round abilities. It most certainly brings closer the end of a glorious generation of Pakistan cricketers.
The Pakistan all-rounder made his international debut in 2003 in an ODI against Zimbabwe. He was last seen donning the Pakistan green in the T20 World Cup Semifinal that Pakistan lost to Australia. The announcement doesn’t come as a surprise.
Mohammad Hafeez had earlier announced that the T20 WC previously scheduled to take place in 2020 was going to be his last assignment. As the tournament was shifted a year ahead due to the pandemic, so was his retirement.
“Today I say goodbye to international cricket with pride and satisfaction,” Hafeez said. “In fact, I have earned and accomplished more than I had initially envisaged and for that, I am thankful to all my fellow cricketers, captains, support staff and the Pakistan Cricket Board who helped me out during my career.
“I am extremely fortunate, lucky and proud to have been considered worthy of donning the national kit with Pakistan emblem for 18 years. My country and my team have always been at my forefront and therefore, every time I stepped on to the field, I tried to raise their profile and image by playing hard and tough but within the rich traditions of spirit of cricket.
“When you have a professional career as long as mine, you’re bound to have your share of highs and lows, and I was no different. Results apart, I can say with conviction that I had more highs as I had the privilege of playing with and against some of the finest exponents of the bat and the ball of my era,” he continued.
Mohammad Hafeez has been a wholehearted cricketer – PCB chairman
Pakistan Legend Mohammed Hafeez has announced his retirement from International cricket#PakistanCricket #MohammedHafeez pic.twitter.com/jcr281m2XN
— CricFit (@CricFit) January 3, 2022
Mohammad Hafeez had earlier retired from Test cricket in 2018. Having been overlooked for ODIs post the 2019 WC, he had transformed himself into a T20 specialist. Hafeez has the highest number of T20 World Cup appearances. He has also led Pakistan in the 2012 and 2014 editions of the tournament and tasted moderate success.
“Hafeez has been a wholehearted cricketer who worked tirelessly at his game to have a long and fruitful career,” said PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja. “His game evolved with time, adjusting to different formats quite intelligently. Later in his career, he became a T20 specialist, where he was never out of touch with modern demands of this testing format. His batsmanship took a sprightly turn, nailing sixes almost at will.
“He has worn the green blazer with pride for which we at the PCB are thankful. I wish him best of luck for his future life and thank him again for his magnificent contribution to Pakistan cricket,” Ramiz Raja added.
Mohammad Hafeez has been a stalwart of Pakistan cricket. His absence will leave big shoes to fill, not just as an all-rounder but as a leader within the team. The experience and knowledge of the game that the man possessed would be difficult to replace.
He ends his career having played 55 Tests, 218 ODIs and 119 T20Is accumulating 12780 runs and 253 wickets across formats.
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