Islamabad, Mar 18 2025: Former Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Hafeez has clarified his controversial remark regarding the legacy of Pakistan’s cricketing greats from the 1990s.
His comments, made after the poor performance of the Men in Green in the 2025 Champions Trophy, received strong reactions from the cricketing fraternity.
Pakistan endured a disappointing run in the event, failing to win a single match. The team lost to New Zealand and India, while their game against Bangladesh was abandoned due to rain.
In the wake of the criticism, Hafeez questioned the legacy left by the 1990s players, stating that despite their talent, they could not secure any ICC trophies after the 1992 World Cup.
Hafeez expressed his admiration for the cricketers of that era but pointed out that their inability to win ICC events in 1996, 1999, and 2003 left Pakistan without a lasting cricketing legacy.
The remarks of the former cricketer remarks triggered a strong response from former players, including Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, and Inzamam-ul-Haq.
Following the backlash, he took to social media to clarify his statement. He emphasized that his words were not meant as a personal attack on any player but were instead an objective analysis of Pakistan.
Some of the media houses are fabricating the actual content. Context of discussion was all about Teams winning ICC events to inspire coming generations. Therefore I explained how the greats of game from Pakistan with all the cricket talent they have couldn’t win ICC events (post…
— Mohammad Hafeez (@MHafeez22) March 17, 2025
Hafeez stated that certain media outlets had misrepresented his comments. He explained that his intention was to discuss how winning ICC events can inspire future generations.
The former all-rounder reiterated that despite the talent available, Pakistan was unable to win any ICC tournaments between 1996 and 2003.
Meanwhile, the current team is focusing on their T20I series against New Zealand. After suffering a nine-wicket defeat in Christchurch, they are aiming for a comeback in the second match in Dunedin.
