Mohammad Hafeez, ex-Pakistan captain, has backtracked on his controversial comments on former Pakistani cricketers from the 90s. He had stated that the superstars of yesteryears of Pakistan cricket didn’t leave any legacy for them despite winning the 1992 World Cup.
Hafeez chastised Pakistan's cricket players from the 1990s for not winning any ICC titles. When Pakistan won the 2009 T20 World Cup in England, they had to wait 17 years to take home another ICC championship. It took the Men in Green an additional eight years to win the Champions Trophy in 2017.
Mohammad Hafeez takes a dig on 90s Pakistani cricketers
Following Pakistan's dismal ICC Champions Trophy 2025 performance, Mohammad Hafeez made these comments. Pakistan, the tournament hosts and reigning champions, went winless, losing to archrivals India and New Zealand before a match against Bangladesh washed out and eliminated them.
The poor performance triggered widespread criticism, with Hafeez’s "no legacy" comment further fueling controversy.
"I am a huge fan of those who played in the 1990s but when it comes to legacy, they left nothing for Pakistan. They didn't win an ICC event. As stars, as players, they were the mega superstars. But then they couldn't inspire us by winning an ICC event," Hafeez said.
This was the first ICC Event hosted by Pakistan at their home since the 1996 World Cup, despite India playing all of its matches in Dubai.
Context of discussion: Mohammad Hafeez defends his statement
For his comments, Mohammad Hafeez drew harsh criticism from former cricket players, including Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, and Inzamam-ul-Haq.
Hafeez clarified his statement on social media in reaction to the uproar. Despite having tremendous skill in the 1990s, he claimed that Pakistan only managed to win one ICC trophy. Hafeez further charged that several media outlets had misrepresented what he had said.
“Some of the media houses are fabricating the actual content. The context of the discussion was all about Teams winning ICC events to inspire coming generations. Therefore I explained how the greats of the game from Pakistan with all the cricket talent they have couldn’t win ICC events (post 92 WC) in 1996,1999 & 2003. It was never a personal criticism on any of the respective players from my side,” Hafeez posted on X.
Pakistan has had poor results in ICC competitions since placing second in the 2022 T20 World Cup. They did not go to the 2023 ODI World Cup semifinals. They lost to the USA and India in the group stage of the 2024 T20 World Cup, which put an early stop to their campaign.
Also Read: Moeen Ali Betrays Harry Brook After 2-Year IPL Ban
Mohammad Hafeez Backtracks On His ‘90s Cricketers Legacy’ Comment; Issues Fresh Statement
Published - 18 Mar 2025, 01:51 PM | Updated - 18 Mar 2025, 11:36 PM
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Mohammad Hafeez, ex-Pakistan captain, has backtracked on his controversial comments on former Pakistani cricketers from the 90s. He had stated that the superstars of yesteryears of Pakistan cricket didn’t leave any legacy for them despite winning the 1992 World Cup.
Hafeez chastised Pakistan's cricket players from the 1990s for not winning any ICC titles. When Pakistan won the 2009 T20 World Cup in England, they had to wait 17 years to take home another ICC championship. It took the Men in Green an additional eight years to win the Champions Trophy in 2017.
Mohammad Hafeez takes a dig on 90s Pakistani cricketers
Following Pakistan's dismal ICC Champions Trophy 2025 performance, Mohammad Hafeez made these comments. Pakistan, the tournament hosts and reigning champions, went winless, losing to archrivals India and New Zealand before a match against Bangladesh washed out and eliminated them.
The poor performance triggered widespread criticism, with Hafeez’s "no legacy" comment further fueling controversy.
Hafeez in trouble after this comment
"I am a huge fan of those who played in the 1990s but when it comes to legacy, they left nothing for Pakistan. They didn't win an ICC event. As stars, as players, they were the mega superstars. But then they couldn't inspire us by winning an ICC event," Hafeez said.
This was the first ICC Event hosted by Pakistan at their home since the 1996 World Cup, despite India playing all of its matches in Dubai.
Context of discussion: Mohammad Hafeez defends his statement
For his comments, Mohammad Hafeez drew harsh criticism from former cricket players, including Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, and Inzamam-ul-Haq.
Hafeez clarified his statement on social media in reaction to the uproar. Despite having tremendous skill in the 1990s, he claimed that Pakistan only managed to win one ICC trophy. Hafeez further charged that several media outlets had misrepresented what he had said.
“Some of the media houses are fabricating the actual content. The context of the discussion was all about Teams winning ICC events to inspire coming generations. Therefore I explained how the greats of the game from Pakistan with all the cricket talent they have couldn’t win ICC events (post 92 WC) in 1996,1999 & 2003. It was never a personal criticism on any of the respective players from my side,” Hafeez posted on X.
Pakistan has had poor results in ICC competitions since placing second in the 2022 T20 World Cup. They did not go to the 2023 ODI World Cup semifinals. They lost to the USA and India in the group stage of the 2024 T20 World Cup, which put an early stop to their campaign.
Also Read: Moeen Ali Betrays Harry Brook After 2-Year IPL Ban
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Mohammad Hafeez Pakistan National Cricket Team