Waqar Younis hits back at Hafeez’s criticism of 90s cricket stars

Waqar Younis has responded to Mohammad Hafeez’s recent remarks about Pakistan’s 1990s cricket stars, sharing a cryptic social media post defending the era’s players.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Younis posted a throwback picture alongside Wasim Akram, highlighting their combined bowling records.

He captioned the post in bold letters, “90’s KA LONDA (Boys from the 90s),” implying that their performances spoke for themselves amid criticism.

Hafeez, who played 55 Tests, 218 ODIs, and 119 T20Is for Pakistan, recently claimed that 1990s cricket greats failed to leave a lasting legacy for future generations.

While analysing Pakistan’s early exit from the 2025 Champions Trophy, Hafeez stated that despite having big names like Akram, Younis, and Shoaib Akhtar, the team failed to win an ICC title beyond the 1992 World Cup.

“I am a huge fan of those who played in the 1990s, but when it comes to legacy, they left nothing for Pakistan. They didn’t win an ICC event – they lost the (World Cups of) 1996, 1999, and 2003. We reached one final (in 1999) and lost that badly,” Hafeez said.

His comments sparked debate, with some questioning Pakistan cricket’s ability to consistently perform on the global stage.

With Pakistan’s struggles in the Champions Trophy 2025 on home soil, discussions about the team’s legacy and past performances have resurfaced, especially as much of the harsh criticism has come from former cricketers of the 1990s era, many of whom now appear as commentators or experts on television during cricket coverage.