Ageless Mohammad Hafeez Earns a Surprise Call-up for PSL 2023 with Quetta Gladiators

Veteran all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez has earned a surprise call-up for the upcoming edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) at the age of 42. The former Pakistan captain was initially unpicked in the draft, but has now signed with Quetta Gladiators as a replacement for the injured Ahsan Ali.

Hafeez played a key role in Lahore Qalandars' title-winning campaign in the last edition of the PSL. He smashed a crucial 69 off just 46 balls in the final against Multan Sultans before taking 2 for 23 in his four overs to help his side claim a historic victory.

Following his exploits in the PSL, Hafeez played in the Dhaka Premier Division in Bangladesh and the Kashmir Premier League. However, he seemed to have shifted his focus to off-field options, having become a prominent cricket analyst on Pakistani television.

Despite this, Gladiators have handed him a fresh opportunity to showcase his skills. The team has struggled in the last three editions of the PSL, failing to make it to the playoffs after winning the tournament in 2019.

While it remains to be seen if Hafeez will make it to the playing XI of Quetta Gladiators, the team management is keen to have a range of options at their disposal. This year, the team has rebuilt its core, with Pakistan's in-form all-rounder Iftikhar Ahmed joining the squad after an impressive Bangladesh Premier League campaign.

Hafeez retired from Test cricket in 2018, and was dropped from the ODI side after the 2019 World Cup. However, he made a remarkable comeback in T20 cricket after being recalled to the Pakistan T20I side in 2020. He finished the year as the leading run-scorer in the format.

While Hafeez initially announced that the 2020 T20 World Cup would be his final assignment for Pakistan, the tournament was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. He finally retired from international cricket in January 2022 after a long and illustrious career.