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Mohammad Hafeez

Mohammad hafeez
Mohammad hafeez Image: Wikimedia Commons. Harrias / CC BY-SA 3.0

Mohammad Hafeez (born 17 October 1980) is a Pakistani cricket coach and former international cricketer. A right-handed top-order batsman and off-spin bowler, he represented Pakistan across all three formats of the game over a career spanning more than 18 years. Popularly nicknamed "The Professor", Hafeez was a key member of the Pakistan side that won the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy, contributing an unbeaten half-century in the final.

Key facts

Full name Mohammad Hafeez
Born 17 October 1980
Nationality Pakistani
Nickname The Professor
Role All-rounder (right-handed batsman, off-spin bowler)
Test matches 55
Test career-best 224 vs Bangladesh, Khulna, 2015
Test retirement December 2018, Abu Dhabi (vs New Zealand)
International retirement 3 January 2022
Major teams Pakistan, Lahore, Lahore Lions, Sargodha, Sui Gas Corporation of Pakistan, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Kolkata Knight Riders
Current role Cricket coach

Background

Hafeez emerged through Pakistan's domestic system, turning out for sides including Lahore, Lahore Lions, Sargodha and Sui Gas Corporation of Pakistan. He went on to become a regular in Pakistan's national setup across formats, occasionally captaining the team.

International career

Test cricket

Hafeez played 55 Test matches for Pakistan. His highest Test score of 224 came against Bangladesh in 2015 at Khulna during the Dan Cake Series. In December 2018, during Pakistan's home series against New Zealand played in the United Arab Emirates, he announced that he would retire from Test cricket at the conclusion of the tour, stating that he wished to focus on limited-overs cricket. He played his final Test in Abu Dhabi, leaving the ground in his whites to a guard of honour from his teammates.

Limited-overs and T20 cricket

Hafeez was a member of the Pakistan squad that won the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy, and played a major role in the final by scoring an unbeaten half-century. At the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup, his campaign was largely subdued, although he scored a match-winning 84 batting at number four against England in the round-robin stage.

Following the World Cup, Hafeez reinvented himself as a Twenty20 specialist for Pakistan and franchise leagues around the world. In 2020, he finished as the leading run-scorer in T20I cricket globally for the calendar year.

Franchise cricket

Hafeez was the fourth international player and the first Pakistani cricketer to be selected for the Caribbean Premier League, where he turned out for the Guyana Amazon Warriors. He has also been associated with the Kolkata Knight Riders franchise.

Central contract

In August 2018, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) named Hafeez among thirty-three players awarded a central contract for the 2018–19 season.

Retirement

After retiring from Test cricket in December 2018, Hafeez continued to play limited-overs cricket for Pakistan. On 3 January 2022, he announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket, drawing the curtain on a career of more than 18 years. He has since transitioned to coaching.

Significance

Hafeez is regarded as one of Pakistan's most experienced modern all-rounders, valued for his utility as an opening batsman and a frontline off-spinner. His longevity, ICC tournament contributions and reinvention as a T20 specialist in the latter part of his career mark him as a notable figure in 21st-century Pakistani cricket.

References