Mohammad Hafeez eyes scoring century in his 100th T20I

• Mohammad Hafeez is all set to score a century in upcoming match against SA, which will be his 100th T20I.
• Says he wants a memorable knock from himself in this game.
• I am available for both formats of white-ball cricket, he says.

KARACHI: Pakistan’s senior all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez says he wants to score a century in his hundredth T20I on Saturday.

The 40-year-old cricketer is all set to become the second Pakistani and overall the 6th player to play 100 T20Is on Saturday when he will enter the field for his side’s first Twenty20 international game against South Africa.

And, the experienced cricketer wants a memorable knock from himself in this game.

“A knock to help my side win the match would be amazing, there can’t be any better feeling than guiding your country to win and that too in an away game,” he said during an online interaction with Pakistani media.

“A century on that occasion will be a cherry on top,” said Hafeez, who is yet to score a T20I hundred.

Hafeez was also the part of Pakistan’s first ever T20I game against England at Bristol in 2006. Since then, he has scored 2,323 runs and has taken 54 wickets in 99 games. He also needs 13 runs to surpass Shoaib Malik as Pakistan’s all-time leading T20I run scorer.

“I can’t be thankful enough for everything that I’ve achieved in my career,” he said.

“There’s no game that I would want to erase from my memory because I believe that one should take positive even out of bad days on the field and I try to learn from my bad days to improve my skills,” he said.

When asked about his memorable T20I matches, the veteran cricketer said that the T20I series in India in 2013 was his most memorable moment along with the country’s T20I debut game in 2006.

Replying to a question, Hafeez said that he is available for both formats of white-ball cricket.

“I retired from Test cricket in 2018 when I felt that I had enough of that but I am available for white-ball cricket. I’ve not got enough chance in ODIs since 2019 but I am available for that format as well, along with T20 cricket,” he said.

“I want to play with pride in each game and give my best. I try to justify my position by giving my best in each game I play for the team,” Hafeez said while indirectly indicating his desire to play the 2023 World Cup.

Hafeez, who hasn’t bowled regularly in internationals, added that he is fully available to the side as a bowler too.

“We all know that my last few years were difficult as a bowler, but I am fully available to be utilised as a bowler. I am ready to bowl full 10 overs in ODIs and 4 overs in T20Is, but these things are in the hands of the captain and the team management,” he said.

The former captain was also hopeful of a good show by team Pakistan in the upcoming three-match series against South Africa but added that Pakistan must not take the home side lightly even if they’re without their main player.

“As a team, when we are playing a side, we don’t care who are the 11 named to face us, for us they’re the best in their country and we have to be at our best to compete against them,” Hafeez said.

“We got good momentum and confidence after a good show in three match ODI series, beating a side like South Africa in South Africa is always morale boosting and I am hopeful that the side will continue the momentum in T20Is. The first game is important and we want to start with a win,” he aimed.