Trouble is brewing again within the Pakistan cricket team. Two very prominent faces of Pakistan cricket, Sarfaraz Ahmad and Mohammad Hafeez, are involved in an online feud on Twitter. Ahmad, who has been the captain of the team previously, has lost his spot to Mohammed Rizwan as the first-choice wicket-keeper batsman.
Following Rizwan’s stellar batting display against South Africa in the first T20 international in the series underway, which helped Pakistan narrowly defeat the Proteas, Mohammad Hafeez showered praises on the wicket-keeper.
The veteran all-rounder said in a tweet on Thursday, “Congratulations @iMRizwanPak on scoring T20 Hundred points symbolClapping hands signThumbs up. U r a Star shining star. Wonder how long u need to prove that u r NO1 wicketkeeper/Batsman in pakistan in all formats of the game. Just asking”.
Sarfaraz Ahmad, who is Rizwan’s foremost competitor, did not take those words lightly. He responded saying, “Hafeez bhai Sb, whoever has played for Pakistan from Imtiaz Ahmed, Wasim Bari, Tasleem Arif to Saleem Yousuf and from Moin Khan, Rashid Latif to Kamran Akmal and even Rizwan right now has always been number ONE for the country and have been respected accordingly.”
Hafeez bhai Sb, whoever has played for Pakistan from Imtiaz Ahmed, Wasim Bari, Tasleem Arif to Saleem Yousuf and from Moin Khan, Rashid Latif to Kamran Akmal and even Rizwan right now has always been number ONE for the country and have been respected accordingly. https://t.co/dF7BScOurl
— Sarfaraz Ahmed (@SarfarazA_54) February 12, 2021
In subsequent tweets, Ahmad said, “We expect nothing but positiveness coming from an international player who has played so many games for Pakistan.”
Aur ayende bhee jisko bhee chance milega wo Pakistan ke liye number ONE hee huga. We expect nothing but positiveness coming from an international player who has played so many games for Pakistan. #JustSaying🙏🏼
— Sarfaraz Ahmed (@SarfarazA_54) February 12, 2021
Since then, Mohammad Hafeez appears to have responded to the former Pakistani captain without naming him. He declared emphatically, “Shallow minded approach EXPOSED!”
Shallow minded approach EXPOSED!
— Mohammad Hafeez (@MHafeez22) February 13, 2021
Infighting is not an entirely new to Pakistani cricket. It has been going on and off for years. Most recently, Pakistani bowler Mohammad Amir had announced his retirement from international cricket citing ‘mental torture’ by the Pakistan Cricket Board blaming head coach Misbah-ul-Haq and bowling coach Waqar Younis for his decision. He had later recanted his retirement and said that he will play for the national team but only if the two men are removed from their position.
