LONDON: Saying that the last few days have been very painful for him and the team, veteran Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez on Thursday denied there was grouping within the team at the ongoing ICC World Cup in England and Wales where Sarfraz Ahmed and his men have struggled badly so far.

Sarfraz and company now face South Africa in their next league match at the mega event at Lord’s on Sunday.

“Every time after a defeat such talks [of grouping] are in the air. There’s no truth in such things. Why don’t you talk about such things when the team is winning?” said Hafeez while talking to reporters at Lord’s after Pakistan team’s practice session.

Pakistan so far at the World Cup have won just one game (against England) out of five, suffered three defeats — to West Indies, Australia and India — while one game against Sri Lanka was washed out. The chances of green-shirts, who lie at a dismal ninth spot with mere three points just above last-placed Afghanistan, reaching the semi-finals presently look very slim.

“All is not finished for us, we are focused on our next game and we are eager to win that match. We have got ample time after the India game to regroup for a new beginning,” Hafeez said while hoping that Pakistan are still alive in the tournament.

Everyone — from players to the management — is responsible for the team’s poor show so far and any single individual cannot be blamed, the 38-year-old Hafeez insisted.

“We can’t blame any single person, everyone is responsible for failing to deliver. We failed collectively as a team, we couldn’t produce teamwork and individual brilliance didn’t help us. In cricket these days you need team performance and input from everyone,” the right-handed batsman, having represented Pakistan in 214 ODIs, emphasised.

The former national captain, however, hoped that the team will bounce back as the break after India’s game has given them a chance to regroup ahead of the match against South Africa.

The experienced cricketer also expressed his displeasure at the personal attacks on the players following Pakistan’s defeats at the World Cup.

“Commenting on cricket is another thing but to drag [the] players’ families and attack them is not a good thing,” he expressed.

“The team decision can’t be made on what someone has tweeted. It [bowling first] was the team decision. We didn’t bowl well and that’s why we lost that game [against India],” Hafeez said.

Replying to a question, Hafeez said the decision to bowl first against India after Pakistan won the toss was the team’s collective decision.

Published in Dawn, June 21st, 2019