Hafeez claims Amir, Imad Wasim treating T20 World Cup as another franchise league

Former Pakistan team director Mohammad Hafeez has revealed controversial circumstances surrounding the inclusion of Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir in Pakistan’s T20 World Cup squad.

He accused the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) of striking a deal to bring them back into the team, raising concerns about the selection process integrity.

Hafeez claimed that six months ago, both players declined to play for Pakistan as they preferred T20 leagues. Now, with no leagues in June, they are treating the World Cup as just another league.

 “Six months ago, when these two cricketers were asked by the PCB if they would play for Pakistan, they refused because they wanted to participate in T20 leagues. Now that there is no league in the June window, the two players are participating in the T20 World Cup and treating it as just another league,” Hafeez said.

 “When I was overseeing domestic cricket as team director, players like Kamran Ghulam were discouraged. Ghulam, despite his talent, chose to leave Pakistan to play league cricket because he felt that scoring hundreds in domestic cricket wouldn’t be rewarding in the long run and he would never get an international cap based on his performances,” Hafeez remarked.

He criticized the current PCB strategy under Chairman Mohsin Naqvi for neglecting local talent development, emphasizing the need for a reassessment to ensure deserving domestic players get opportunities, creating a sustainable pool of national cricketers.

Hafeez’s remarks coincide with Pakistan's recent loss to India, intensifying scrutiny on team selection and performance.