Pakistan’s veteran all-rounder, Mohammad Hafeez, finally returned to form with a brilliant century in the Kashmir Premier League match between Muzaffarabad Tigers and Mirpur Royals. Hafeez had been struggling for form throughout the year but finally got his touch back as he dismantled the Royals’ bowling unit.
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Hafeez scored 110 off 55 balls as Muzaffarabad posted 227/6 in the first innings. This was the second century in the inaugural edition of KPL. Previously, wicket-keeper batsman, Zeeshan Ashraf, also a part of Muzaffarabad Tigers, scored the first century of the tournament.
The 40-year old had an abysmal record in 2021 as he only scored 377 runs at an average of 22.17 and a strike rate of 130.44 in 24 T20 matches in the calendar year.
His record in 2021 has been a stark contrast to his amazing record in 2020 where he finished as the leading run-scorer in the world in T20s. Hafeez scored 1,005 runs at an average of 47.85 and a strike rate of 141.54 in 33 T20 matches in 2020.
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Hafeez’s poor form has been a cause for concern for Pakistan’s T20I side especially since it is a T20 World Cup year. Pakistan’s middle-order woes have continued throughout the year as Hafeez has struggled for runs and other middle-order batsmen have not stepped up to take their chance of becoming a permanent member of the side.
The stylish middle-order batsman’s return to his old form is a positive sign for the national team in their build-up to the T20 World Cup, scheduled to be held in October and November in the UAE.
