Pakistan’s unexpected elimination from the T20 World Cup 2024 has triggered relentless criticism, with ex-cricketers and coaches launching daily accusations. Pakistan’s surprising losses to the USA and then to traditional rivals India left them in a precarious position, leading to their exit from the tournament without advancing to the Super 8 stage. This failure has sparked significant turmoil within the Pakistan cricket community, fueling calls for Babar Azam’s removal.
Contributing to the ongoing debate, former all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez has shed light on the current team’s fitness issues. During a podcast with Michael Vaughan and Adam Gilchrist, Hafeez disclosed that the previous management, including Mickey Arthur and former coach Grant Bradburn, never prioritized player fitness, which, he believes, was evident during the Test Series in Australia.
“When I retired from this team, I ticked all the boxes of fitness. If I could do it at the age of 41 then why can’t the others? As I joined the team as Director, I noticed the fat percentage of the players had gone up and the running ability went down. I asked the trainer what had happened. Why the players aren’t able to go through the tests?
“He revealed a very shocking fact that the last management, comprising Mickey Arthur, Grant Bradburn and Babar Azam, asked him to put the fitness equation out and let the players play how wanted to play till the World Cup [2023].
“And When I asked him why didn’t he oppose, he said he just followed the instructions from the management. That was the reason we were struggling in the final innings of the Test series against Australia. We looked fatigued because we were missing that fitness level,” he added.
Pakistan’s surprising early exit from the 2024 T20 World Cup has sparked widespread criticism, with former cricketers and coaches regularly leveling accusations. The team’s unexpected losses to the USA and India left them unable to progress to the Super 8 stage, intensifying dissatisfaction within the Pakistan cricket community and prompting calls for Babar Azam’s removal.
In the midst of this ongoing discussion, former all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez has weighed in on the team’s fitness concerns. Speaking on a podcast with Michael Vaughan and Adam Gilchrist, Hafeez revealed that the previous management, which included Mickey Arthur and former coach Grant Bradburn, did not prioritize player fitness. He pointed out that this neglect became apparent during the Test Series in Australia.
“I went into the dressing room and found 4-5 players sleeping during the game. I was like, ‘How come you guys can do that?’ If you do something like this, you cannot be a part of this team. I want you guys to stay focused. Off the game, you do whatever you want to, it’s your life guys do whatever you want and I’ll never get involved in it. But in professional timings of the game, I want you guys to focus on the game,” Hafeez said.
“You tell me Gilly, if a player is sleeping in the dressing room and we are playing Test cricket. 4-5 players are sleeping in the dressing room, should I allow that as a team director,” he asked.
