Comment: Hafeez's poor form against part-time spinners is putting down Pak in middle overs
Despite Hafeez being one of the best players of spin bowling, he is losing his wicket against part-time spinners
June 28, 2019
Hafeez’s performance against part-time spinners in the last four games of the World Cup is concerning, to say the least. It's funny, interesting and also sad to note that one of the best batsmen to play spin bowling is struggling against them.
Like any South Asian batsmen, Hafeez has always dominated against the spinners. Perfect positions, footwork, stroke play and shot!! That was Hafeez against spinners - before the World Cup.
But in the last four games, teams have trapped him successfully by introducing their part-time spinners against him knowing that he will attack them. One must appreciate the brave decision - knowing that on paper the odds are not in their favour.
Against Australia, he got out on a juicy full-toss while playing a slog-sweep against Aaron Finch. In another match against South Africa, he got-out while playing a sweep shot against Aiden Markram on a delivery which should have been played with a straight bat. In the last match against New Zealand, he charges down the pitch to Williamson and smashes it right down cow corner's throat. In the exact spot, he gave it away against Australia.
The biggest concern here is that he was well set on the crease when he did those mistakes as he conceded 49,33, 50 in those innings.
In modern-day cricket, if a batsman is well-set on the crease, his job is to bat deep. It is considered as a crime if batsmen lose his wicket in the middle overs like the way Hafeez is doing it. Perhaps the reason for losing wickets in the manner might be the loss of focus and taking part-timers lightly. It has happened many times that huge partnerships are broken by part-timers.
It's said that once batsmen tackle front line bowlers by middling them they get a bit relaxed against part-timers and end up losing their wickets.
As Pakistan is left with just two more must-win games in the World Cup, the time has come for Hafeez to put his role as according to his potential as Babar did in the last game against New Zealand.
Hafeez occupies a crucial spot (no.4) in the batting order and he is the most senior player in the current playing XI, the team expects him to take the responsibility in the middle overs and stay on the wicket till the end. Nothing matters less than that.
