Former Pakistan allrounder Mohammad Hafeez had created controversy last year by claiming that Virat Kohli was ‘selfish’ in approaching his 49th ODI century during a World Cup match against South Africa at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens.
Hafeez claims that Kohli avoided playing big shots as he neared the milestone which helped him draw level with the then all-time record for most ODI centuries held by Sachin Tendulkar.
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During a chat with Adam Gilchrist and Michael Vaughan on YouTube channel Club Prairie Fire, Hafeez double downed on his remarks and claimed that individual milestones should have no place in cricket and a player should always prioritise his team ahead of individual goals.
“I was right that time,” Hafeez said while responding to a query from Vaughan on his remark. “If you see the whole context, you will know. To me, no matter whoever is playing, your intention, your way of playing should always be (aimed) towards winning the game.”
Hafeez continued, “But if someone is stopping himself from playing big shot in the 90s, I will never take it. On 95, if someone is taking five balls to get to his 100 and not thinking that if maybe on those three or four balls, if I can hit (big shot)…If my intentions get changed after scoring 100, why I cannot play that same shot when I was on 95? Or on 92? Because to me, your intent should always remain the same – do whatever possible to add value to your team and get them to a winning position.”
For the record, Kohli took 9 deliveries after scoring his 90th run to get to century and also struck a four when on 93 during the match which India went on to win by 243 runs. His 100th run though came after facing 119 deliveries.
“I felt in that game Virat took a lot of balls to get to his 100 and he was not playing big shots. If you watch his century again, maybe you will realize what I was saying. For me, personal milestones should go away from cricket. Your 50s, your 100s, your 5 wickets – as fan of cricket we don’t want to watch these kind of 50s and hundreds if they are not in a winning cause. In the game of cricket, even one run matters,” Hafeez said.
Hafeez then asked Gilchrist about his thoughts on batters taking more balls to get to century. “I think you’re asking the wrong block mate I slog from ball 1 whether I was on or 99,” the legendary Australia wicketkeeper-batter responded.
Hafeez said he himself may have been selfish on occasions but it should not be part of modern cricket.
“This is the way to play international cricket, this is the way to represent your country and give you 100% shot whatever best possible way you can. If someone can play the same shot after scoring a century and cannot play that same shot when in 90s or 91 or 93, it doesn’t give me the right understanding. I must have done that in my career. I’m also one of the player developed the same way. Unfortunately, if that is the case, the modern day of cricket does not require that. Your milestone will not be cherished that much as much we cherish victory of the team,” he said.
Hafeez then cited the example of another India star KL Rahul who looked disappointed after missing out on a chance to complete his century in his team’s opening match of the 2023 ODI World Cup against Australia.
India needed five runs to win and Rahul, batting on 91, struck a magnificent six over extra covers to seal the win and finished unbeaten on 97.
“In that particular tournament KL Rahul played an absolutely fantastic shot toward his extra cover and finished the game off and he was not happy that India won the game but was unhappy because he couldn’t get that chance to get his own 100. To me this is selfish approach and then the same thing happened when Virat Kohli did the same thing,” Hafeez said.
“He (Kohli) was more into his hundred rather than adding more value to the team’s cause. I know at the end they won by more than 200 runs. It doesn’t make any different if your own way of approaching towards the game of cricket is not right. If you think your milestone is bigger than the team’s victory, I’m sorry I will never take that,” he added.
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