Mohammad Hafeez steps down as T20 captain
Najam Sethi says resignation is sign of bravery.
PHOTO: AFP
LAHORE:
Mohammad Hafeez has resigned as Pakistan’s Twenty20 captain after the team was sent packing from the tournament after a humiliating 82-run defeat against the West Indies on Tuesday.
After meeting the PCB Chairman Najam Sethi, Hafeez announced his decision at the Qaddafi stadium in Lahore.
“I accept the responsibility for the performance and have decided to step down. I want to thank the players, my family and the cricket board for their support throughout my tenure,” he said.
Hafeez is the only captain to have led Pakistan in two editions of the ICC WorldT20 tournament, after going down to the West Indies the 2009 champions failed to make it to the last four of the tournament for the first time in their history.
The all-rounder added that he was willing to play as a player under any captain. “I would offer my support to any captain. Previously too I have played under many captains and would offer my complete support to my replacement.”
Later in the day, Najam Sethi spoke to the media and said that Hafeez's resignation shows that he is taking responsibility for the team and that it is a sign of bravery.
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Basit Ali, former Pakistan captain and coach of Hafeez’s domestic team SNGPL, feels the resignation should not have been accepted by Sethi.
“It’s a bad decision which the chairman should not have accepted. I have a feeling that Hafeez was asked to step down and has been made a scapegoat for the disaster in Mirpur,” Ali told The Express Tribune.
He added that the PCB needs to invest in the future and should consider naming Ahmed Shehzad the new captain in the T20 format.
According to Ali, Younis Khan is the best choice to lead the team in the other two formats. “Shehzad should captain the T20 team; Younis has the potential and the experience to captain the team in the other two formats”.
While Ali thinks that he was hard done by, many former cricketers called for Hafeez’s ouster following the heavy defeat.
Hafeez also drew flak for choosing Kamran Akmal and Shoaib Malik in the squad that represented the team in Bangladesh as the two looked well past their prime during the matches.
Mohammad Hafeez has resigned as Pakistan’s Twenty20 captain after the team was sent packing from the tournament after a humiliating 82-run defeat against the West Indies on Tuesday.
After meeting the PCB Chairman Najam Sethi, Hafeez announced his decision at the Qaddafi stadium in Lahore.
“I accept the responsibility for the performance and have decided to step down. I want to thank the players, my family and the cricket board for their support throughout my tenure,” he said.
Hafeez is the only captain to have led Pakistan in two editions of the ICC WorldT20 tournament, after going down to the West Indies the 2009 champions failed to make it to the last four of the tournament for the first time in their history.
The all-rounder added that he was willing to play as a player under any captain. “I would offer my support to any captain. Previously too I have played under many captains and would offer my complete support to my replacement.”
Later in the day, Najam Sethi spoke to the media and said that Hafeez's resignation shows that he is taking responsibility for the team and that it is a sign of bravery.
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Reaction
Basit Ali, former Pakistan captain and coach of Hafeez’s domestic team SNGPL, feels the resignation should not have been accepted by Sethi.
“It’s a bad decision which the chairman should not have accepted. I have a feeling that Hafeez was asked to step down and has been made a scapegoat for the disaster in Mirpur,” Ali told The Express Tribune.
He added that the PCB needs to invest in the future and should consider naming Ahmed Shehzad the new captain in the T20 format.
According to Ali, Younis Khan is the best choice to lead the team in the other two formats. “Shehzad should captain the T20 team; Younis has the potential and the experience to captain the team in the other two formats”.
While Ali thinks that he was hard done by, many former cricketers called for Hafeez’s ouster following the heavy defeat.
Hafeez also drew flak for choosing Kamran Akmal and Shoaib Malik in the squad that represented the team in Bangladesh as the two looked well past their prime during the matches.