Former captain and all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez is currently serving as Director of Pakistan men’s cricket team. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced his appointment on November 15, 2023. He also remained part of PCB Cricket Committee.
Hafeez retired from international cricket on January 3, 2022. In his almost two decades cricketing career, he represented Pakistan in all three formats and played 55 Tests, 218 ODIs, and 119 T20Is and has scored 12,780 runs and took 253 wickets.
The former all-rounder was part of the Pakistan team which won the ICC Champions Trophy in England in 2017.
Mohammad Hafeez’s early life
Mohammad Hafeez was born on 17th October 1980 in Sargodha, Punjab. He served Pakistan in all three formats and also took part in different international leagues.
Mohammad Hafeez’s family
Mohammad Hafeez was married to Nazia in 2007 and he has one daughter Emaan and one son Roshan Hafeez.
Mohammad Hafeez gets enrolled in KU
In February 2023, he got admission to the BS Health Physical Education and Sports Sciences (HPESS) program at the University of Karachi (KU). He stated that he could not continue his studies due to cricketing career.
Mohammad Hafeez’s career
Mohammad Hafeez has played high quality and competitive cricket at domestic and international level. Here is a glance of his career in all formats:
ODI debut on 3rd April 2003 against Zimbabwe
Last ODI Pakistan vs Bangladesh at Lord’s on 5th July 2019
Test debut on 20th August 2003 against Bangladesh.
Last Test New Zealand vs Pakistan at Abu Dhabi on 3rd December 2018
T20 debut England vs Pakistan at Bristol on 28th August 2006
Last T20 Pakistan vs Australia at Dubai on 11st November 2021
Mohammad Hafeez’s captaincy
Mohammad Hafeez was made captain of the Pakistan T20 squad in May 2012. Under his captaincy, Pakistan reached the semi-final where they lost to the home side. Under his captainship, Pakistan remained at second position in the ICC rankings.
Mohammad Hafeez’s interesting records
Mohammad Hafeez has performed in all formats for almost two decades. His salient performances can be enlisted as:
In December 2013, he scored 122 in the first match, unbeaten 140 runs in the third match, and unbeaten 113 runs in the fourth match thus becoming the 2nd batter after Zaheer Abbas to have 3 centuries in an ODI series.
In 2011, he won 10 Man-of-the-Match awards in all types of international cricket and turned out to be just the third player to score 1000 runs and take 30 wickets in ODI calendar year. He wrote his name in the history books after Sanath Jayasuriya and Jacques Kallis who got this distinction.
He represented Pakistan in 119 Twenty20 internationals, second highest after Shoaib Malik (123).
He was also second most wicket taker caught and bowled (6 times) in Twenty20 internationals.
He was the second player who got highest player of the series awards for Pakistan in international cricket.
During 2012-2013, he was positioned as the best all-rounder by the ICC player rankings in T20 series.
Muhammad Hafeez career teams
Baluchistan Bears, Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Faisalabad & Faisalabad Wolves, Lahore Blues, Lahore Whites, Lahore Lions, Multan, Pakistan A, Punjab Pakistan, PCB Reds, Rawalpindi, SNGPL, Sargodha.
International teams
Kolkata Knight Riders, Middlesex, Melbourne Renegades, Melbourne Stars, Khulna Royal Bengals, Wayamba United, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Mohammedan Sporting Club, St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, Minister Group Dhaka, Lahore Qalandars, Peshawar Zalmi, Rajshahi Royals, Durban Qalandars, Maratha Arabians, Montreal Tigers, Edmonton Royals, Delhi Bulls, Desert Riders, Galle Gladiators, Asia Lions.
Mohammad Hafeez’s controversies
Mohammad Hafeez was stopped for bowling during 2014 Test series against New Zealand at Abu Dhabi. He was observed to be unlawful after tests at an ICC accredited centre in Southborough, England.
ICC observed that he was found to bowl with an elbow expansion up to 31 degrees, far over the allowed furthest reaches of 15 degrees. He had to undergo through medicinal work at a biomechanics lab in Chennai.
He couldn’t pass through this test on 3rd January 2015. Eventually, he was served ban for 12 months in July 2015 for his illegal bowling action for the second time in two years.
He was accused of illegal bowling action on 18 October 2017 during the third ODI against Sri Lanka. He was banned by the ECB in the T20 Blast 2019.
IPL performance
Mohammad Hafeez was selected once in the Kolkata Knight Riders team in 2008 where he scored 64 runs in 8 matches and took only one wicket. He was later ousted from the IPL 2009 due to the Mumbai attack in 2008.
PSL performances
Mohammad Hafeez also played in Pakistan Super League (PSL) for the Peshawar Zalmi and was picked by the side for a whopping US$70,000.
He then left the franchise after representing the side for three years and was picked by Lahore Qalandars in the fourth edition of PSL and later he represented Quetta Gladiators. He scored 1682 runs in 78 matches during his PSL career.
