Mohammad Hafeez Becomes The 4th Batsman To Register 99 In T20I Cricket

Veteran Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez was once again at his swashbuckling best during the second T20I against New Zealand as he registered his highest T20I score of 99.

And, by doing that, Hafeez has joined the English trio of Alex Hales, Luke Wright, and Dawid Malan to become only the fourth batsmen in the history of international T20 cricket to notch up a score of 99.

Hafeez came to the crease in just the 3rd over of the innings after Pakistan lost two quick wickets in the form of Abdullah Shafique and Haider Ali.

Wickets continued to tumble at the other end but Hafeez held fort to smoke a whirlwind unbeaten 57-ball 99.

The veteran all-rounder smashed as many as 10 fours and five monstrous sixes and it was largely due to his blitz that Pakistan were able to score 98 runs in the last ten overs after they had huffed and puffed their way to 4/65 at the halfway mark.

Mohammad Hafeez stitched a 63-run-stand for the fifth wicket with Khusdil Shah, during which he was the leading run-scorer as the latter managed just 14 off 20 balls.

Pakistan were 6/145 after 19 overs but Mohammad Hafeez went bang bang in the final over as he smashed Kyle Jamieson for two sixes and a four on the last three deliveries to help the visitors post a fighting total of 6/163 in 20 overs.

Mohammad Hafeez has been in scintillating form in T20I cricket this year. Earlier this year, the former captain was adjudged the ‘Player of the Series’ in the T20I series in England after he smashed a total of 155 runs in two innings.

Meanwhile, New Zealand have got off to a rollicking start to their run-chase, having raced their way to 81 in 9 overs albeit at the loss of a dangerous-looking Martin Guptill (21 off 11).

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Players with scores of ’99’ in T20I cricket:

Alex Hales (99) vs WI, 2012

Luke Wright (99*) vs AFG, 2012

Dawid Malan (99*) vs SA, 2020

MOHAMMAD HAFEEZ (99*) vs NZ, 2020