Pakistan's historic home series victory against England has sparked a reaction from former captain Mohammad Hafeez. The 2-1 win, Pakistan's first at home against England since 2000, was set up by starring performances from unlikely heroes Sajid Khan and Noman Ali.
The spin duo were brought back mid-series to replace under-performing players and took 39 of the possible 40 wickets across the final two Tests. Their impactful displays helped Pakistan complete a stunning turnaround from 1-0 down.
In a cryptic tweet after the series concluded, Hafeez praised Sajid and Noman for “exposing many faces” with their star showings. While not explicitly stated, the message appeared to take a subtle shot at selections and in-form players.
Some fans speculated Hafeez was referring to current captain Babar Azam's dropped after the first Test defeat. Babar's selection and form have been topics of debate in Pakistan of late. Hafeez's wording kept his intended target ambiguous but suggested underlying criticism.
As a former team director and interim coach, Hafeez would have insight into the national set-up. His post-series tweet added an intriguing sideplot to Pakistan's triumph. Sajid and Noman's match-winning 39 wickets highlighted the value of flexibility and choosing form over reputations.
Their rise reinforced the adage that success has many fathers while failure is an orphan. Pakistan will hope their series victory marks not just an end to a winless streak but the start of more positive days ahead. Hafeez's cryptic message ensured the discussions would continue long after the final wicket fell.