KARACHI: Seasoned batsman Mohammad Hafeez found himself for selection in the 20-man squad named on Sunday for the Twenty20 International series against South Africa after failing to comply by a Feb 3 deadline set aside by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the players to enter a team’s bio-secure bubble in Lahore.
Hafeez — who is currently participating in the Abu Dhabi T10 League for Maratha Arabians and is also not a central-contract player with the PCB — had sought permission to join the squad on Feb 5 but the PCB refused to accept the 40-year-old’s request and the ensuing deadlock forced chief selector Mohammad Wasim to exclude him for the entire South Africa series.