Mohammad Hafeez accuses PCB of compromising Pakistan Cricket with "Deals" - Cricket Winner

Former Pakistan cricket team captain Mohammad Hafeez has leveled serious accusations against the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), calling it ‘greedy’ and alleging that the board is “making deals” with certain players like Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim to include them in the squad for the T20 World Cup 2024. Hafeez’s explosive comments came in the wake of Pakistan’s narrow 6-run loss to India in Group A on Sunday.

Accusations against PCB

Hafeez criticized the PCB for favoring players like Amir and Wasim, who, according to him, rarely participate in the domestic circuit but are still preferred for major tournaments over cricketers who consistently perform. He accused the board of prioritizing these players due to “deals” made to secure their participation in high-profile events.

“Players like Amir and Wasim never play in the domestic circuit, yet they are chosen for big tournaments,” Hafeez said. He further alleged that the main focus of these players is to play in franchise leagues around the world, only opting to play for the national side when there are no such competitions.

Mohammad Amir retired from international cricket in 2020, while Imad Wasim bid farewell to the sport in 2023. However, both players made a comeback in 2024, a move that has been met with skepticism and criticism from various quarters, including Hafeez.

In the match against India, Pakistan’s bowlers performed admirably, bundling out the opposition for just 119 runs. However, a disappointing batting display led to the Babar Azam-led side falling short of the target. Despite the favorable pitch conditions, Pakistan lost back-to-back wickets and struggled with too many dot balls, failing to capitalize on the first six overs.

🚨 "PCB did deal with Amir Imad!" – Shocking revelation by angry Hafeez! #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/TITVU9TOiJ

— Arfa Feroz Zake (@ArfaSays_) June 10, 2024

Babar Azam’s post-match comments

“We bowled well. In the batting, lost back to back wickets and had too many dot balls. The tactics were simple: play normally with strike rotation and the odd boundary. But during that period, we had too many dot balls. Can’t expect much from tailenders. Our mind was to utilize the first six overs in batting. But one wicket down, and again we weren’t up to the mark in the first six. The pitch looked decent. The ball was coming on nicely. It was a little bit slow, with some balls having extra bounce. We have to win the last two matches. We’ll sit and discuss our mistakes but are looking forward to the last two matches,” Babar Azam said.

“When asked to play for Pakistan six months ago, they said they wanted to play in franchise leagues around the world. Since that no leagues are happening these days, they are playing in the World Cup. They are playing in the World Cup as if it is just another league,” he added.

See Also: “I think team Sri Lanka is under more pressure than us,” Rohit Paudel’s confidence against Sri Lanka

As Pakistan looks ahead to their remaining group matches, the team will need to address their batting issues and ensure a stronger performance to advance in the tournament. Hafeez’s allegations add another layer of complexity to an already challenging situation, highlighting the need for transparency and merit-based selection in Pakistan cricket.