Hafeez received PCB warning on captaincy before World T20

E-Paper | July 28, 2026

LAHORE: Mohammad Hafeez who stepped down from captaincy of the Pakistan T20 team on Thursday while accepting his responsibility for the team’s poor show in the ongoing ICC World T20 in Dhaka, had been warned by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that he will be removed from the post if the team fails in the mega event, well-informed sources told Dawn on Friday.

It is also learnt that Hafeez, soon after receiving the warning from one of PCB’s top officials, had replied that he was ready to step down before the team’s departure for Bangladesh.

Sources added that Hafeez had already lost the PCB’s confidence prior to the World T20 since the Board did not bother to hold any reception for the team on the eve of its departure to Bangladesh.

In fact, it was all-rounder Shahid Afridi, then nursing a hamstring injury, who held a reception in the team’s honour but the PCB did not allow the players to attend it since it was not an official function.

The sources further said that Hafeez who relinquished the captaincy in a meeting with chairman Najam Sethi at the PCB offices on Thursday, was mindful of the Board’s warning and immediately announced his stepping down from the post after reaching the Gaddafi Stadium.

Moreover, the sources said that during the team’s stay in Bangladesh, a member of the team management constantly talked about Afridi, Umar Akmal and Ahmad Shahzad being strong candidates for the T20 captaincy and that had also damaged the team’s unity.

The sources added that a top federal government official is keen to see Afridi taking over as the next T20 and one-day captain and ground is being prepared for the move.

Meanwhile, sources said though the PCB had appointed Rashid Latif as the next chief selector from April 1, the former wicket-keeper has not signed any contract with the PCB as yet.

And in the next meeting with the PCB chairman, expected on April 10, he will table strict conditions about having full powers in matters such as selection of the team besides picking up competent, like-minded selectors.

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Ahmed

Apr 05, 2014 12:26pm

Moeen and Sethi would make cricket team look as beautiful and prosperous as Karachi. Only unprofessional fools would engage in such a damaging and unprofessional behavior. no wonder poor Hafeez was being used as a scapegoat to make a room for a man known for chewing the ball in front of international cameras and resigning in the middle of the match. Moeen doesn't deserve to be a coach for engaging in such kind of unprofessional and unbecoming behavior, Hafeez 's crime ? he didn't approve of unprofessional and over the hill coaches like Shoib and Zaheer and results are there for all to see, Hafeez knew that Ajmal, Gul and Afridi would not perform so selected Kamran and Malik in desperation because they were planing to sabotage him from day one ...so much for spirit of playing for your country.

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Bilal

Apr 05, 2014 09:55pm

According to Osman Samiuddin, these warnings came when he insisted on including Kamran and Malik in the squad, he was told that if they failed, his position as captain would be unstable.

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Aimen

Apr 05, 2014 10:04pm

sad stuff indeed!poor hafeez!being made the scapegoat in this whole fiasco.no wonder he couldn't perform well in the WT20.All respect for hafeez.itnay pressure main, how can you expect hafeez to perform?pathetic stuff from sethi and PCB management.shame on everyone who was involved in this!sethi's turning PCB into a circus already.God bless pak cricket!

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Zulfi

Apr 05, 2014 10:37pm

Not good by PCB if true. Apparently Hafeez played the whole tournament under the pressure of knowing that he would be removed from captaincy if the team failed in World T20. Such professionals (read namooney) we have within PCB and Pak Government!!!

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Fiz

Apr 07, 2014 02:17am

Shahid Afridi as captain? Bad choice. A player whom i refer to as a 2 ball player, first being "chakka" and on second he is out, how can he inspire his team mates delivering such kind of performance? As somebody said that he performs once in a while and get stuck with the team for further two years on the basis of that performance. Most of the time he looks like a liability to the team just like Shoab Akhtar used to be, a 1 ball player. "oonchi dukan, pheeka pakwaan!" We need consistency, not one off performance.

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