Former Pakistan player Salman Butt slammed Mohammad Hafeez for discussing issues of the national team on an international platform as well. Butt lashed out at Hafeez for not taking proper actions when he was the men’s team’s director, saying that complaining now is unproductive. However, his comments came after Hafeez recently came on the Club Prairie Fire Podcast and spoke to Adam Gilchrist and Michael Vaughan. And, he recalled how low the players’ fitness levels were, saying that they used to sleep in the dressing room during Test matches as well.
Reacting to this on YouTube show Cricket Baithak, Salman Butt said (via Hindustan Times), “Maybe, he is saying as it is. But whose job was it to ensure that? You are complaining about your team’s matters on international platforms. You were team director. It was your job to pick the right people. You picked those people who, on their own, may never be there. You didn’t take fitness tests. Who stopped you? Or should I call it incompetence or lack of control? They were your juniors. You couldn’t take the tests?”
However, Mohammad Hafeez was in-charge of the men’s side for the Test tour of Australia and the T20I series in New Zealand as well. Out of the eight games, Pakistan managed only one win and Butt feels Hafeez should have addressed these concerns during his tenure only.
“You’re ranting to Adam (Gilchrist), ‘I wanted to do this and do that, but they didn’t listen to me. I was the team director.’For god’s sake, what were you trying to do? No one leaves their job until they’re sacked. Now, you go to an international platform and start complaining there. Why didn’t you say that when you were here? Why didn’t you ask for more power and backing? I don’t know what to agree with or what not to. When someone else played Amir, he was a criminal. But it’s fine when you call him yourself,” concluded Salman Butt.