Simon Doull has requested that Pakistan not play veterans Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez in the same playing XI against India, describing them as an “80-year-old running around in two bodies.”
Simon Doull made his comments on a Cricbuzz talk program. The former New Zealand pacer stated he’ll play Hafeez and Haider Ali in the middle order for Pakistan in the big match. He claimed that having Hafeez, 41, and Malik, 39, on the same team would be damaging to the team. Simon Doull
“Babar and Mohammad Rizwan at the top; Fakhar Zaman at three; Hafeez and Haider Ali. I don’t think they can play Hafeez and Shoaib Malik together. You don’t need an 80-year-old running around in two people. That can’t happen. I just don’t think they can play two 40-year-olds on the same team so I will go with Hafeez and Haidar Ali. [Then] Asif Ali, Imad Wasim definitely then Shadab, Hasan Ali, Haris Rauf, and Shaheen Shah Afridi.” Simon Doull said
Mohammad Hafeez
Therefore, despite his age, Mohammad Hafeez has kept his Pakistan career on track with regular middle-order performances. He has appeared in 113 Twenty20 Internationals, scoring 2429 runs with a strike rate of little under 121. Malik, on the other hand, has been out of the national squad for the greater part of two years. He has appeared in 116 Twenty20 Internationals and scored 2335 runs at a strike rate of 124.
Both spin-bowling all-rounders were left out of Pakistan’s preliminary T20 World Cup roster, with the selectors opting for younger batsmen.
They were only recently added to the team, presumably as a result of their performances in the National T20 Cup. The decision was influenced by the sluggish pitches in the UAE, with the selectors valuing their experience after watching the IPL 2021.
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