Yousaf questions Hafeez, Malik's selection ahead of T20 World Cup

Former Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Yousaf has criticised the Pakistan chief selector-cum-head coach Misbahul Haq for bringing veteran all-rounders Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez back in to Men in Green’s Twenty20 International (T20I) squad.

While speaking on a local news channel, the former cricketer said the aforementioned duo will have difficulty facing quality pace attacks in the T20 World Cup later this year in Australia.

"I just don't understand why give so much responsibility to one man and I don't see any planning in the way Misbah is handling things," Yousaf said. "Why recall Hafeez and Malik when their records in places like Australia are clear. It is a step backward for Pakistan cricket."

ALSO READ: Afridi backs Hafeez in debate over tainted players’ return to cricket

However, the 45-year-old was full of praise for Pakistan’s T20I captain Babar Azam but refrained from comparing him with Indian batsmen Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

"Babar is a class apart from the others right now. That is why he is in the ICC's top five rankings in all three formats. Personally I have not seen a finer batsman in Pakistan than Babar since I last played for the national team," he said.

Yousaf also appreciated his seniors Salim Malik, Ijaz Ahmed, Saeed Anwar and Inzamamul Haq, who guided him when he was a rookie in the national side.

"These were all players who scored runs everywhere in the world and watching them and playing with them also turned me into a better player," he said.