Virat Kohli is the batsman who has scored the most centuries in ODIs. (AFP Photo)
Winds of change are currently blowing in Pakistan cricket. After the team’s poor performance in the ODI World Cup, the Pakistan Cricket Board took tough decisions and dismissed the entire selection committee. After this, PCB had made up its mind to take a big decision on Babar Azam, in view of which Babar himself resigned from the captaincy in all three formats. While announcing the new captains of T20 and Test, PCB shifted the entire coaching staff to NCA and now the board has taken another big decision. Former captain Mohammad Hafeez, popularly known as Professor, has been appointed by PCB as the coach of Pakistan cricket team. This is the same Hafeez who raised questions on Virat Kohli.
Before Hafeez, Grant Bradburn had taken over the responsibility of coach of Pakistan team, but during his tenure, the team performed very poorly in the Asia Cup and then the World Cup. After this, PCB has shifted him along with the entire staff to NCA and now Hafeez has been made the coach of the Pakistan team for the tour of Australia and New Zealand.
got double responsibility
PCB Chief Zaka Ashraf has expressed more confidence in Hafeez and has given him double responsibility. Apart from being the coach of the team during the tour of Australia and New Zealand, Hafeez has also been appointed as the team director by PCB. Before Hafeez, this responsibility was on Mickey Arthur. Arthur will now be seen in NCA along with the rest of the coaching staff. Pakistan has to play a three-match Test series in Australia and a five-match T20 series in New Zealand. The team will do this tour in December and January. However, Hafeez has no coaching experience. PCB has made Shan Masood the captain of the Test team while the captaincy of the T20 team has been handed over to Shaheen Shah Afridi. PCB has not yet announced the captain of the ODI team.
Questions raised on Virat
Hafeez is the person who raised questions on Virat Kohli’s intentions. When Kohli scored a century against South Africa and equaled Sachin Tendulkar’s 49 ODI centuries, Hafeez called Kohli’s innings selfish and said that after reaching his century, Kohli started batting slowly so that he could complete his century. Can. Hafeez was an all-rounder who played his last match for Pakistan two years ago. He was a good batsman and also used to off-spin, but his bowling was also banned. ICC found Hafeez’s bowling action suspicious and banned him.
