After Wahab Riaz’s decision to become available for Test cricket, Mohammad Hafeez has also backtracked from his retirement in the longest format of the game. The 39-year-old has said that he will be available to play Test cricket for Pakistan on the England tour if his services are needed.
The veteran cricketer had retired from Test cricket in 2018. In 55 Tests, Hafeez has 3652 runs to his name at an average of 37.64 and 10 centuries.
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Ramiz Raja Makes Personal Comments on Malik & Hafeez’s Careers
In response to a question regarding Ramiz Raja’s advice to retire gracefully, the all-rounder said that he doesn’t need anyone’s advice on the matter.
Ramiz Raja is free to express his opinion but my decision to play cricket or retire is not dependent on anyone’s advice. If there comes any situation for me to play Test cricket on England tour then I’m available.
Pakistan already has 4 or 5 opening batsmen in the longest format including Shan Masood, Abid Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, and Fakhar Zaman. Not just this, Azhar Ali, can also open the innings and he has previously done it for Pakistan when needed.
Earlier, Ramiz Raja had said that both Hafeez and Shoaib Malik should retire gracefully from cricket. Hafeez has now said that age shouldn’t be a criterion for team selection. Talking about the England-India match at the World Cup, Hafeez said that the Men in Blue lost it on purpose to keep Pakistan out of contention for the semi-finals.
Hafeez has also delayed his retirement plans in the shortest format in case the World T20 gets postponed, saying that he will bid farewell to the game on a high note after performing in a mega event.
Do you think Hafeez will play Tests in England? Let us know in the comments section.
