Babar is urged by Hafeez to put the team’s needs ahead of his own.

During the T20I series against New Zealand, former Pakistan team director Mohammad Hafeez shared some important details about a chat he had with star players Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan.

Hafeez revealed, in an exclusive interview with a regional sports station, that he reminded Babar and Rizwan that cricket is a team sport and that each player’s participation counts, and urged them to understand their duties within the team’s overall performance.

“It took me about two months to convince Babar Azam that you have to do it for Pakistan, and you are not the first one who’s doing it,” Hafeez said.
“You are a great player, you are a wonderful player, and you are playing great cricket; however, you have to develop the Pakistan team.”

For the sake of the team as a whole, the seasoned cricket player emphasized that Babar and Rizwan should accept positional alterations. Babar was especially urged to move from his customary opening role to batting at number three, a position in which he has flourished in One-Day Internationals.

“We need to develop a team, and for that, I want you to come at number three because you have been playing this role in ODI cricket for the last six years,” Hafeez said.

Babar Azam agreed to Hafeez’s offer in a commendable show of sportsmanship, proving his dedication to the team’s victories over individual recognition.
In order to strengthen Pakistan’s batting lineup, Babar decided to give up his long-standing opening combination with Rizwan.

Hafeez said, “Thank you very much to him that he accepted this, and he played for Pakistan at number three, which obviously I think is the best way to move,” in appreciation of Babar’s readiness to accept change.