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.