Former Pakistan captain Muhammad Hafeez, who is representing Lahore Qalandars in the ongoing Pakistan Super League’s sixth edition, has extended an olive branch to Quetta Gladiators captain Sarfaraz Ahmad, wishing him good luck for the future and praying for him to regain his lost form.

Talking to Shoaib Jatt in 24NewsHD TV programme PSL Hangama, Hafeez said he prays for Sarfaraz to regain his lost form sooner than later and proved beneficial for the national team.

Both the players were under the unwanted spotlight when they both bickered with each other on Twitter when Hafeez praised wicket-keeper batsman M Rizwan in an encrypted tweet and Sarfaraz responded furiously.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIJHI1GjMyY

However, Hafeez said every player has a bad patch in his career and the player’s focus should be on regaining his form and should keep the focus on his goal.

Hafeez said all the junior players including Srafaraz are the assets of Pakistan and their focus should be bringing glory to the team.

Sarfaraz was again under attack after first his decision to open the innings against Karachi Kings that many considered an attempt to compete with Rizwan who has started to open the innings for the country in the white ball cricket. Later, in the match against Lahore Qalandars, he lost his temper many times and bashed the bowler and fielders in the field that led to another bout of criticism aimed at the former captain of Pakistan.

Hafeez said he prays for Sarfaraz to play a key role for the country and wherever he plays as he and other juniors are the future of Pakistan and he always prayed for the juniors to play well.

He said the main focus of Sarfaraz should be on his performance and self-management and he should respect the performance of his teammates and other players so that he gets back the same respect.

He said whenever he had faced such a bad patch he always focused on his self-management and Sarfaraz is just a brother and friend to him and he wants him to do well in the future.

Commenting on his role as a senior player, Hafeez said he always tried to help juniors and whoever came to him for advice, he always extended full support to him.

He said current batting coach Younus Khan always backed him to help the juniors and in the past six months he has worked with different juniors to support them,

“I talked to Rizwan during the national camp and national Twenty20 about the power-hitting and also had a few words with Fakhar Zaman and Haider Ali to help them sharpen their skills.”

Gayle’s moments

During the Qalandars match against Gladiators, so-called Universal Boss Chris Gayle played an emphatic innings but only to be overshadowed by the mastery of Hafeez. And after that Gayle came to check the bat of Hafeez.

Hafeez said he enjoys very good camaraderie with Gayle on and off the field and it is the beauty of the game that when we came off the filed after competing we became friends rather than holding grudges.

He said Gayle checked praised his bat saying it was a very good one and he told Gayle that he did not enjoy the powerful muscles like Gayle so he has to contend with some very good bat only.

He and Gayle just exchanged puns like that and indeed it is the beauty of cricket that brings players closer to each other.