4-5 players were sleeping in the dressing room: Mohammad Hafeez criticizes Pakistani players, makes shocking statement | Cricket News

Former Pakistan all-rounder and former manager of the Pakistan cricket team, Mohammad Hafeez made a shocking revelation by criticizing Pakistani players for their poor attitude after their exit from the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Mohammad Hafeez criticized the attitude of Pakistani players. (Photo: Getty Images)

New Delhi: Pakistani players continue to face heat from all sides following the team’s disappointing exit from the 2024 T20 World Cup. Babar Azam & Co. were one of the favorites ahead of the showpiece event, but no failed to get past their group in what was one of their worst performances ever in a T20 World Cup.

Several former Pakistan players broke into the Babar-led team after their disastrous campaign in the tournament. Former Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez also criticized Pakistani players and demanded accountability from the team management and the PCB, among others.

Hafeez recently shared a shocking anecdote while criticizing the Pakistani player for his chaotic attitude while appearing on the Club Prairie Fire podcast alongside former Australia wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist and former England skipper Michael Vaughan. Hafeez, who was Pakistan’s director of cricket, revealed that he caught a few players sleeping in the dressing room, during a test match.

Hafeez revealed that he was shocked to find the players sleeping in the dressing room during his visit and told them it was unacceptable. When asked if the players were sleeping because they were judged, Hafeez said he had no idea but was shocked to find them dozing in the dressing room.

” I really do not know. I went to the dressing room and found that four or five players were sleeping in the dressing room while they were playing Test cricket. I was like, “How come you can do that? If you do something like that, you can’t be on this team. I want you to stay focused during the match,” Hafeez said on the podcast.

You can’t switch off during a game: Hafeez

The former Pakistan all-rounder said that as the team manager, he never interfered in the personal lives of the players. However, he didn’t want them to go out during a match. Hafeez said he had been criticized in the media for his strict disciplinary action for his actions against Pakistani players.

“Apart from the game, whatever the guys do, it’s their own life, I never get involved in it. But in professional game timings, I want the guys on the team to focus on the game. Stay in touch. If you are a fast bowler, you can rest, take a good ice bath, but you have to concentrate on the game of cricket, as the other team also does. You can’t switch off during the match, but unfortunately the media (in Pakistan) didn’t like it,” Hafeez added.

Hafeez’s revelation comes at a time when Pakistani players are facing widespread criticism over the team’s poor fitness and skills. Recently, reports claimed that Pakistan head coach Gary Kirsten questioned Pakistan team’s unity and fitness standards after their exit from the 2024 T20 World Cup.