Hafeez's Test recall draws largely favourable reactions on Twitter

E-Paper | April 30, 2026

Veteran cricketer Mohammad Hafeez was a surprise induction into the Pakistan cricket team's Test squad for the upcoming two-match home series against Australia.

But even more surprising was the largely favourable response the development drew from sports journalists, most of whom had little problem with the return of a 37-year-old to the five-day format.

Roznama Express sports editor Saleem Khaliq termed it as a "good decision", saying:

PCB media manager Emmad Hameed gave Hafeez his best wishes:

PSL presenter and Dunya News sports journalist Zainab Abbas explained the selectors' reasoning for picking Hafeez, although she did not indulge whether or not she agreed with the decision.

Some, however, were not too impressed with the development.

Asif Khan, another journalist questioned the logic of picking Hafeez if he'd be in UAE only as a squad member.

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Polluted People

Oct 01, 2018 04:10pm

Yet he comes again....Pls spare us.

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fairplay

Oct 01, 2018 04:17pm

recalling a 37 year old, instead of a groomed youngster, is a poor choice, no what spin journalists want to put on it

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kash

Oct 01, 2018 04:27pm

personally i think we missed Hafeez in asia cup

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Surya Kant Agrawal

Oct 01, 2018 04:43pm

When is Kaptan Sahib returning as non playing captain to set things right?

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Riaz

Oct 01, 2018 05:00pm

Childish behavior of some ethnics as usual ....this is t20 failed squad being rehashed as a test team...this management has no vision this will team is not going to cross 250 ..it will lose both tests if they include hafeez they may a have a bowler and a batsman who might surpass the score of half of the team ...

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duh

Oct 01, 2018 05:00pm

Bring back Imran Khan and Wasim Akram

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Sammy

Oct 01, 2018 05:02pm

edge….and taken at first slip! Thats how his tour will go but I would like to see him in ODIs

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Haidery

Oct 01, 2018 05:16pm

He was in great form last year in CT and other ODIs and should have been included in Asia cup. He can’t open but has been effective in the middle order. He can still play a good role in Tests provided he is used wisely. We can use Hafeez’s experience in the next few years before he retires meanwhile grooming youngsters around him.

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Malik Haider

Oct 01, 2018 05:21pm

in Asis Cup, we paid the price for his absence

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Asif

Oct 01, 2018 05:23pm

@Haidery fair point. But what is wrong with Imad Wasim? As far as I see it, he has the best batting technique out of everyone and is an elegant left arm bowler. Selection committee is a joke to be honest. Same thing can be argued about Junaid Khan, why is he warming the bench?

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dean

Oct 01, 2018 05:38pm

Going Backwards!!!

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manish

Oct 01, 2018 05:39pm

Not a good choice, Pakistan should look forward , they had a good team , with experience they will improve.

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Desi

Oct 01, 2018 05:46pm

Hafeez's late inclusion clearly indicate that selection committee is incompetent and cannot do the the job right first by selecting the right players. Evidence was visible after the result of Asia Cup. Bringing back a 37 year old will not benefit the team at all. Hafeez is a spent player who is just dragging his career for the sake of money and does not care about his own performance. If he plays in test, it is a guarantee that he will be out in slips if facing fast bowlers.

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Sarah

Oct 01, 2018 05:56pm

@fairplay Not at all considering there is no substitute for experience,Have watched him closely he deserves place ahead of many other in team.Team should never have dropped him.Junaid Khan,Fawad Alaam,Imaad Wasim from squad considering Pakistan team thin batting line up after retirement of Misbah and Younis Khan.

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Sarah

Oct 01, 2018 05:58pm

@kash We will never forget his 28 ball 60 not out in Champions Trophy final and his ability to spin in all format of cricket.He has played nice innings in Tests in UAE ,so welcome addition to squad much better than Nawaz in all department of the game in any format.

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Sarah

Oct 01, 2018 06:03pm

@Asif Considering Pakistan thin batting line up in Test,why not utilize Imaad Wasim in batting along with experienced Hafeez.In UAE condition Hafeez is very useful with his spin bowling option besides batting.He has ability to play and build long innings .Have watched numerous of his hundreds in Test matches.So definitely better than Usman Salahuddin or Nawaz in all respect of the game.Even dropping Junaid Khan is nonsense in any format of game.

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Strategist

Oct 01, 2018 06:18pm

I think this frenzy of Inzimams camp, regarding testing new talent, is completely gone ridiculous. He wanted to give Imam a chance, fine. He like a few of his predecessors had his grudge against Fawad Alam, understood. But what was wrong with the team, which won the ICC Champions Trophy? Why did we not play Rahat Ali, Mohammad Abbas, Imad Wasim, Wahab Riaz, or Junaid Khan, who could have been instrumental on UAE pitches.

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fairplay

Oct 01, 2018 06:38pm

what happens if he gets reported again for his action?

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Ammar Azhar chattha

Oct 01, 2018 07:07pm

Why selection committe select imam ul haq in Asia cup,his bating technique is so poor,he need to play domestic cricket,he is not ready to play against world class bowlers as we seen him in Asia cup.I think he is getting favour from his uncle(head of selection committee). Azhar Ali and M.Hafeez are deserve to plaly one day game. One more thing selection committee should consider stylish opener salman butt in upcoming series.

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malik

Oct 01, 2018 08:11pm

@Ammar Azhar chattha His technique may nor be good but he is scoring runs, he bearly won match against BD,his inexperience led him to lose his wicket.He is there because of his performance not due to his uncle.Please think positively.

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israr khan

Oct 01, 2018 10:53pm

hafeez last test series in england 2016 failed us completely, his replacements have not done better than him either, since now azhar is opening with imam hafeez can bat at no 6 or 5 and Pakistan can go back to 6 batsmen 1 keeper and 4 bowlers with hafeez as 5th bowler meaning yasir and shadab can play with wahab and abass as pacers, if safi wants to play fahim then he needs to drop babar azam or haris sohail that i am not in favour

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Ash20

Oct 01, 2018 11:04pm

Going backward. Pakistan should infuse new blood and give them time for a year instead of chopping every series. Then you may have reasonable team in 5 years. But do not include tainted players like Asif, Amir.

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Saleem

Oct 01, 2018 11:10pm

It looks like Inzi’s expertise as head of selection committee is as good as his running between the wickets. Hope to see a new selector soon.

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Citizen

Oct 01, 2018 11:11pm

selection is just for tour to Hafeez. Even if he plays but he should vacate place for others

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iqbal

Oct 01, 2018 11:29pm

Had Hafeez been in Asia Cup squad, things would have been different. His 30 ball 50 against India in Champions trophy final combined with the calming presence of Azhar Ali with a 100 plus opening stand with Fakhr gave weight and balance to the side we so missed in Asia Cup. Alas They dropped Junaid Khan again which after his great bowling in the one game he played is so unfair !!!

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Riaz

Oct 02, 2018 06:09am

It is shame to drop the best bowler of pakistan team ...the most effective bowler in UAE conditions...junaid Khan ...he should have been picked a head of all others

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TRUTH

Oct 02, 2018 06:44am

He will score a 50 on a flat slow pitch, then he will be selected for another 5 years of string of failures on away series elsewhere.. Nice job selectors for the future!

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@Logic

Oct 02, 2018 07:18am

@Malik Haider Seriously

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Oct 02, 2018 10:06am

Bring Afridi, Misbah and Akmal (tooth bros) back too.

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Kashif Khan

Oct 02, 2018 10:42am

@fairplay Inzi needs to go. Just like you blame the players for not performing well. Same should be for selecting them. How long is he going to stay at that post until he brings his son into the squad.

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Kashif Khan

Oct 02, 2018 10:45am

@Riaz Exactly my friend. Inzi needs to let go as well. When players dont perform they are dropped from squad but in pakistan they given chances and chief selector doesn't get any heat from anywhere. How fare is that chief selector should take some responsibility too for the failure of team. How long will inzi stay at that post until he brings his son into the squad.

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Kashif Khan

Oct 02, 2018 10:46am

@duh Replace inzi for wasim. As the chief selector

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Babar-I-Azam

Oct 02, 2018 11:19am

The selection of a team needs to be tactical and strategic, with that in mind I never understood why Hafeez was dropped from the ODI squad for the Asia Cup - it was being played in UAE

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Hani_Layyah

Oct 02, 2018 11:43am

Such a poor decision. .sadly things are going same in new Pakistan

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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

Oct 02, 2018 02:20pm

Now it's up to him to prove his real worth as a greenshirt's top test cricket all-rounder against Australia in the on-going cricket series in UAE, under some very hot, rough, humid, salty, windy and tough weather conditions?

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Faisal Bhatti

Oct 02, 2018 04:10pm

Farewell . He was/is great cricketer. Let the man exit from international cricket in good fashion.

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Jai Ho

Oct 02, 2018 05:53pm

I think you are good in beating minnow and time is not far when you will become minnow someday

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Jag

Oct 02, 2018 08:57pm

This got to be joke of the century. Why not bring back Lala. He better than this guy

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atta rehman

Oct 02, 2018 09:54pm

he didn't do anything before in 2014 when he was younger and he will not do anything again. please give Fawad Alam whole Australia/Nzealand Test series. If he doesn't do good, discard him for the rest of his life. This fellow deserve one chance.

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concernedcitizen

Oct 02, 2018 10:31pm

poor decision to bring back, while the rest of the world hanging their boots a lot younger than him, he is still hanging around because no league wants to pick him up.

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Waheed Khan

Oct 03, 2018 03:46am

@Strategist imad wasim was not fit

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Ali Sheikh

Oct 03, 2018 05:08am

So long as subhan ahmed and a couple of other board of directors are in place.. there’s no place for fawad alam in the team unfortunately.. nothing has changed under so called new administration and merit based selection system.

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NAK

Oct 04, 2018 01:25am

With a captain struggling his own form, and under pressure, one or two veterans can only help the side. I think we needed Hafeez in the Asia Cup, where Sarfraz looked clueless at some points during Pakistan's feilding. Having Hafeez and Azhar could have provided the balance and maturity to the side.

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