Pakistan’s opener Muhammad Hafeez revealed that he went through a very hard three years before staging a successful comeback into the national team. “After my ouster from 2007 World Cup team and till 2010 England tour, I kept my motivation alive and worked really hard on my game technically and physically and forced my way into the team,” Muhammad Hafeez said. “Believe you me it was the most difficult time of my life as cricketer and now I feel that hard work never goes in vain and I was rewarded by the Almighty for my devotion,” the 30-year-old Sargodha-born, opener said. “My family, friends and well-wishers lent great support during the period of my ouster from the team,” Hafeez added.
“Now my objective is to keep up the momentum and consistency extending in all areas of the game,” he commented. He said he owed a lot to the former captain and Chief Selector Aamir Sohail and Assistant Coach Shahid Aslam who helped him in working on his game at NCA which revived his cricketing career. “It’s a great honour for me that I was the most successful player in the year 2011 and being the best batsman and third in ICC rating from Pakistan during the year,” he pointed out. “My target is to finish among the top 10 batsman of the world by the end of the year,” Hafeez, who scored 895 runs in 17 Tests with two centuries and taken 14 wickets with his off-breaks, stated. “My maiden hundred in ODIs against New Zealand at Christchurch was great boost for me. I had been reaching 70s and 80s but unable to convert them into hundred,” he recalled.
