Mohammad Hafeez, who served as the Director of the Pakistan men’s cricket team from November 2023 to February 2024 and also stepped in as the interim head coach, recently revealed troubling details about the players’ behavior during his tenure. Speaking with cricketing legends Michael Vaughan and Adam Gilchrist, Hafeez criticized the players for their lack of discipline, especially during Pakistan’s group-stage exit from the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Hafeez recounted finding several players asleep in the dressing room during Test matches, which he found unacceptable. He questioned the professionalism of the players, emphasizing that such behavior was detrimental to the team’s performance and discipline. Despite his serious stance, Vaughan humorously asked if the players were simply tired, to which Hafeez responded with frustration, indicating that such behavior should not be tolerated in professional cricket.
Hafeez stressed the importance of maintaining focus during professional commitments and clarified that while he did not interfere in players’ personal lives, he expected them to be fully engaged during matches. He advocated for proper rest and recovery practices, like ice baths for fast bowlers, but underscored the necessity of staying attentive to the game and the opponents. He concluded by lamenting that his calls for discipline were not well-received by the media.
