Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Hafeez engaged in a public dispute about the sports influence that prior Pakistani cricket players had on the sport. During his interview Hafeez criticised the founding era of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis because this generation came up empty-handed from ICC competitions. The victorious Pakistan team under Younis Khan’s captaincy triumphed in the 2009 T20 World Cup according to Akhtar rather than the team with Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis at its helm. Akhtar gave a forceful response to the remarks made by Hafeez.
Here Is What Hafeez Says About The 1990s Cricketers’ Legacy And ICC World Cup Disappointments
“I am a big admirer of the cricketers from the 1990s, but when we talk about their legacy, it’s clear they didn’t bring home an ICC trophy,” Hafeez had told Akhtar earlier.
“They were part of the World Cups in 1996, 1999, and 2003, and despite our strong performances, we lost each time. In fact, we only made it to the 1999 final, and that loss was quite heavy,” Hafeez further said.
Akhtar has addressed Hafeez’s remarks during a television show centered around the Pakistan Super League.
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Here Is What Akhtar Says To Defend Wasim And Waqar’s Legacy After Hafeez Criticism
“There were many instances when Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis won us matches and series. Just in front of me, the duo have won us at least 60 matches together alone,” Akhtar said.
“He (Hafeez) is telling Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, ‘Sir, you left no legacy.’ Then, who left a legacy? You?” Akhtar stated.
According to Hafeez, Pakistan nearly secured an ICC trophy multiple times during the peak years of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, but ultimately fell short of winning a major title. Nonetheless, Akram played a crucial role in Pakistan’s 1992 World Cup victory under Imran Khan’s leadership.
