Waqar Younis responds to Hafeez's criticism of 1990s cricket legends
What's the story
Former Pakistani cricketer Mohammad Hafeez had recently slammed the legacy of Pakistan cricket stars of the 1990s and early 2000s, implying they didn't inspire the next generation.
His comments came during a live television show, where he said these players didn't win an ICC event.
Hafeez highlighted their defeats in the 1996, 1999, and 2003 World Cups as proof of this lack of inspiration.
Meanwhile, Waqar Younis has now responded to Hafeez's criticism.
Acknowledgment
Hafeez acknowledged the achievements of later teams
Hafeez lauded the accomplishments of later teams, referring to their 2009 T20 World Cup and 2017 Champions Trophy wins.
He credited these wins as the inspiration for generations to come.
Hafeez also emphasized that Babar Azam, who didn't play a major role in these events, was present during these victories and is idolized today.
"In 2009, we won under Younis Khan's captaincy. Then we won the 2017 CT, which was a huge source of inspiration," he said on PTV Sports.
Defense
Waqar Younis defends 1990s cricket legends
Younis posted a photo with fellow cricket legend Wasim Akram on social media, captioning it "90's KA LONDA."
In his post, he emphasized their achievements by mentioning the number of Test and ODI matches played and the wickets taken by both himself and Akram.
Meanwhile, this comes as a direct reaction to Hafeez's comments questioning the impact of 1990s stars on future generations.
Notably, Hafeez made these comments amid Pakistan's early exit in the ongoing Champions Trophy.
Track record
Pakistan's track record in ODI WC and CT since 2003
Pakistan have played in five editions of the ODI World Cup since the 2003 edition (2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2023).
They made it to the semifinals in 2011 and the quarterfinals in 2015, while exiting in the group stage thrice (2007, 2019, and 2023).
In the Champions Trophy, they have participated in six editions since 2003, winning in 2017.
Meanwhile, they reached the semifinals in 2006 and 2009 but were eliminated in the group stages in 2004, 2013, and 2025.
Twitter Post
X post by Waqar Younis
“90’s KA LONDA”
— Waqar Younis (@waqyounis99) March 6, 2025
Test - 191
ODI’s - 618
Wkts - 1705
Runs - 8594
5wkts - 66
10wkts - 10#NotBad @wasimakramlive #GoodOldDays♥️ pic.twitter.com/09VaeKbycJ