Pakistan team director Mohammad Hafeez talks about workload management and national priority for players

Team director Mohammad Hafeez stresses the importance of Pakistan's contracted players prioritizing national team commitments over participating in lucrative franchise leagues.

Under the leadership of new team director Mohammad Hafeez, Pakistan's contracted players are urged to prioritize national team commitments over participation in franchise leagues. This directive comes in the wake of fast bowler Haris Rauf declining to join Pakistan's Test tour of Australia in favor of waiting for approval to play in Australia's Big Bash League with the Melbourne Stars. Hafeez emphasized that the primary focus for centrally and domestically contracted players must be on representing Pakistan, and considerations for participation in lucrative franchise leagues will be contingent on the team's needs and the players' workloads. The objective is to ensure the availability and optimal performance of players in national duty, particularly as Pakistan looks ahead to the T20 World Cup in the coming year.

“All centrally contracted and domestic contracted players, for all of them, the priority is Pakistan,” former captain Hafeez told reporters on Tuesday.

“The point of offering it (contract) to the 20-25 players ... is to make sure they are available to play,” he said.

“Now there is a parallel option in the form of leagues and we experienced this in the Asia Cup and World Cup.

“There was talk of fatigue, or players were getting injured because their workloads were too much, or not performing as they should,” he added. 

“Moving towards the T20 World Cup, the NOC policy will be based on what Pakistan needs,” he explained.

“If Pakistan needs fit players, we need to make sure of their workloads. The maximum energy and availability has to be to Pakistan.

“If there is an opportunity around that, that they can play (in leagues), that will be definitely considered,” said Hafeez.