Hafeez Stands by Kohli Criticism, Calls Him 'Selfish'

Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez has reiterated his criticism of Virat Kohli's performance in the ICC ODI World Cup last year, calling him "selfish."

In the World Cup match against South Africa, Kohli scored 101 runs off 121 balls, maintaining a strike rate of 83.47. Despite hitting 10 fours and no sixes, his performance drew criticism from Hafeez.

Speaking on the Club Prairie Fire podcast, Hafeez explained his reasoning: "Your intention and way of playing should always aim toward winning the game. But if someone is hesitating to play big shots in his 90s, I won't accept it. After 95, if someone takes five balls to get to his 100 and his intention changes after scoring 100, why can't he play the same shots he did at 95 or 92 runs? For me, the intent should always remain the same—to add the best possible value to your team's victory."

Hafeez believes that Kohli's focus on personal milestones hindered the team's success: "I felt Virat took too many balls to get to his hundred, and he wasn't playing big shots. Personal milestones should be secondary to the team's success. As a fan of cricket, I don't appreciate 50s and 100s that aren't for a winning cause. In cricket, even one run can make the biggest difference."

Kohli's recent performances in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup have been disappointing, with scores of 1, 4, and 0 in consecutive matches. As the tournament shifts to the Caribbean, Kohli will be hoping to regain his form and contribute to India's success.

Tags: #ViratKohli, #MohammadHafeez, #ICCWorldCup, #Cricket, #TeamIndia