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[Watch] Mohammad Hafeez Takes A Sly Dig At Shoaib Akhtar On Air; Gets Into Ugly Debate

Rajgeeta Yadav

Mohammad Hafeez Involved in a Fiery Exchange with Shoaib Akhtar [Source: @abubakartarar_/X]Mohammad Hafeez Involved in a Fiery Exchange with Shoaib Akhtar [Source: @abubakartarar_/X]

Pakistan cricket is going through a rough patch, having been eliminated in the early stages of three major ICC tournaments in a row—ODI World Cup 2023, T20 World Cup 2024, and Champions Trophy 2025. Naturally, their performances have faced heavy criticism, especially from former players. One of the most vocal critics has been legendary fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar.

After Pakistan’s disappointing exit from the Champions Trophy, Akhtar had stated that he didn’t even want to discuss Pakistan cricket but was doing so only because he was being paid by a TV channel. In response, former Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez subtly trolled Akhtar while speaking live on air.

Hafeez Questions the Legacy of 1990s Cricket Stars

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 was a historic tournament for Pakistan, as it was the first global event hosted in the country in 29 years. However, the team’s performance was far from inspiring, as they failed to qualify for the semi-finals.

During a discussion on Outside Edge Live with Shoaib Akhtar, Shoaib Malik, and Sana Mir, Mohammad Hafeez raised a thought-provoking point about Pakistan cricket’s history. While acknowledging the greatness of the 1990s cricketers, he questioned their legacy in terms of winning ICC trophies.

"I have immense respect for the players of the 90s, but when we talk about their legacy, we have to admit they never won an ICC trophy,” Hafeez said. “They played in the 1996, 1999, and 2003 World Cups, yet Pakistan couldn’t lift the trophy. The only time we reached the final was in 1999, and we lost that match badly,” he said.

Hafeez made his point clear, saying, “No matter how skilled they were, the fact remains—our 1990s stars couldn’t bring home an ICC trophy.”

Akhtar and Malik React To Hafeez’s Comments

As Hafeez spoke, Shoaib Malik and Sana Mir joined the conversation, creating a lighthearted atmosphere in the studio. Even Akhtar, despite being indirectly trolled, was seen smiling. Akhtar responded by shifting the focus to Pakistan’s strong ODI record against India during his playing days. 

“Pakistan won 73 ODIs against India—it was us who achieved that,” he pointed out.

Meanwhile, Shoaib Malik also acknowledged the impact of the earlier generation. However, Akhtar jokingly called out Hafeez, saying, 

“Now that this video is out, you can’t take your words back! You’ve already named the big stars, so the truth is out there.”

Despite hosting the tournament, Pakistan have had a forgettable run in the Champions Trophy 2025. They lost two of their Group A matches against New Zealand and India, while their game against Bangladesh was washed out due to rain. As a result, they failed to qualify for the semi-finals.