Saleem Malik speaks out against injustice with Mohammad Hafeez

Pakistan’s former cricketer Saleem Malik, while talking to media personnel on Monday, spoke out against the injustice with veteran all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez after the latter was unceremoniously discarded from the Twenty20 International (T20I) squad that will take on South Africa at home in the upcoming series.

The former cricketer emphasised the importance of having a senior player in the side while claiming that the veteran all-rounder had been hard done by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

“A senior’s presence is very important. Without a senior the entire pressure falls on the junior. You should definitely groom juniors and should take them along. But a senior should not be abruptly ignored. Seniors should remain with the side. Hafeez has been a great player for Pakistan and has been giving great performances. I think he performed well in the last series as well,” Malik said.

“I think the PCB is doing a bit injustice with him. I don’t know who has turned against whom but I have seen that some people don’t want seniors to play during the ending stages of their career. But I think this was an injustice against Hafeez,” he added.

Malik however disagreed with the assessment that Hafeez was being punished for visiting the Prime Minister Imran Khan’s office to plead the case for departmental cricketers, who had lost their jobs during the recent change in Pakistan’s domestic cricket structure.

“I don’t think that is the case [Hafeez being punished for visiting Prime Minister Imran Khan]. Going to the Prime Minister’s office is not a bad thing. A lot of people, who shouldn’t go there, also visit that place. I don’t think that is the case. Misbahul Haq was also being given too many responsibilities and that is why I think the decision was taken,” he concluded.