Pakistan Champions Announce Hafeez New WCL 2025 Captain
Pakistan Champions – the runners-up of the inaugural World Championship of Legends (WCL) – have named former all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez as their captain for the tournament’s second season. The WCL Season 2 is scheduled to run from July 18 to August 2, 2025 in England.
The team confirmed Hafeez’s appointment on social media with the celebratory message: “The Professor takes the charge… We’re proud to announce Mohammad Hafeez as the Captain of Pakistan Champions for Season 2”.
This leadership change comes amid uncertainty over the participation of Younis Khan, who captained the side in the inaugural edition last year. Hafeez – affectionately nicknamed “The Professor” for his cricketing acumen – brings over 18 years of international experience and will aim to guide Pakistan’s legends one step further in the upcoming event.
Pakistan Champions New Captain
Mohammad Hafeez (right) has been appointed captain of the Pakistan Champions for WCL 2025, taking over from Younis Khan who led the team in the first season. Hafeez’s vast experience as a former Pakistan captain and all-rounder will be crucial in the quest for the Season 2 title. Also in the ranks is wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed (left), whose presence adds leadership experience – Sarfaraz famously led Pakistan to the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy triumph.
Hafeez’s appointment signals a fresh direction for the Pakistan Champions. The 44-year-old retired from international cricket in early 2022 and remains one of Pakistan’s most seasoned T20 players. He had occasionally captained Pakistan during his career and was known for his astute game awareness – hence the “Professor” moniker.
Hafeez steps into the leadership role vacated by Younis Khan. Younis, alongside Misbah-ul-Haq, guided the team in the first WCL season, but his participation in Season 2 is in doubt. In Hafeez, the team gains a tactically sharp leader who will also contribute with both bat and ball. Pakistan Champions management and fans are hopeful that Hafeez’s all-round skills and captaincy will help the side go one better than last time and claim the elusive trophy.
Mohammad Hafeez Career Stats
| Format | Matches | Runs | Average | 100s / 50s | Wickets | Best Bowling | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 55 | 3652 | 37.64 | 10 / 12 | 53 | 4/16 | 2.61 |
| ODIs | 218 | 6614 | 32.90 | 11 / 38 | 139 | 4/41 | 4.18 |
| T20Is | 119 | 2514 | 26.46 | 0 / 14 | 61 | 4/10 | 6.57 |
Flashback to WCL 2024: Pakistan Come Close
The inaugural WCL tournament last year in 2024 proved a memorable campaign for the Pakistan Champions under Younis Khan’s captaincy. The team was among the standout performers of Season 1. They opened the tournament with a clinical win over Australia and went on to thump the West Indies in their next outing.
One of the competition’s most iconic moments came against arch-rivals India, when Pakistan’s veterans piled up a mammoth 243/4 in 20 overs and then restricted India to 175/9, recording a resounding victory. That high-scoring win over India proved Pakistan had the firepower to dominate.
Pakistan’s only stumble in the group stage was a narrow loss to South Africa, but the Men in Green quickly bounced back. They qualified for the semi-finals and defeated the West Indies again in the semifinal (by a 20-run margin) to reach the title clash. In the WCL 2024 final, Pakistan set a target of 157 for India.
Despite a spirited effort in the field, they couldn’t prevent the Indian legends from chasing it down with five wickets in hand and five balls to spare. It was a heartbreaking finish for Pakistan Champions – falling just short of glory in a nail-biting finale. Having been runners-up in the inaugural edition, the team is determined to use that experience as motivation to go all the way this year.
Star-Studded Pakistan Champions Squad for 2025
The Pakistan Champions have assembled a star-studded lineup of former international players for WCL Season 2. Below are the few confirmed players:
- Mohammad Hafeez (Captain) – All-rounder and former Pakistan skipper, known for his clever off-spin and solid batting.
- Shahid Afridi – Iconic all-rounder nicknamed “Boom Boom,” celebrated for his explosive batting and leg-spin (Afridi captained Pakistan in the past and remains a fan favorite).
- Shoaib Malik – Veteran batting all-rounder with vast T20 experience around the world.
- Sarfaraz Ahmed – Wicketkeeper-batsman and former Pakistan captain, who led the nation to the 2017 Champions Trophy titlea-sports.tv.
- Sharjeel Khan – Hard-hitting opening batsman known for quick starts.
- Wahab Riaz – Left-arm fast bowler famous for his pace and fiery spells.
- Asif Ali – Big-hitting middle-order batsman with a reputation for finishing games.
- Kamran Akmal – Wicketkeeper-batsman and one of Pakistan’s prolific T20 run-scorers in domestic leagues.
- Aamer Yamin – Fast-bowling all-rounder who has played for Pakistan in limited-overs cricket.
- Sohail Khan – Right-arm pacer remembered for a five-wicket haul against India in the 2015 World Cup.
- Sohail Tanvir – Left-arm unorthodox seamer and T20 globetrotter, famous for his performances in leagues like the PSL.
This lineup covers a balanced mix of explosive batting, savvy all-round skills, and experienced bowling. Notably, it reunites several members of Pakistan’s golden generation of T20 players. With Shahid Afridi and Mohammad Hafeez both in the camp, Pakistan Champions possess a wealth of leadership experience and big-match temperament.
The presence of Sarfaraz Ahmed (Pakistan’s Champions Trophy 2017 winning captain) adds further strategic depth. Other confirmed names like Malik, Wahab, and Sharjeel bring firepower that can change a game on its head. It’s expected that a few additional players may join to complete the squad before the tournament begins, making it a formidable unit on paper.
Format and Schedule of WCL 2025
The World Championship of Legends is a T20 league that brings together six teams of retired cricket stars – representing Pakistan, India, Australia, England, South Africa, and the West Indies. In Season 2 (WCL 2025), all teams will play each other in a round-robin league format, after which the top four will advance to the knockout stage (semi-finals and final).
Fans in England will witness these veteran stars across four venues: Edgbaston in Birmingham, the County Ground in Northampton, Grace Road in Leicester, and Headingley in Leeds. The tournament kicks off on July 18 and concludes with the final on August 2, 2025, at Edgbaston.
Some of the key fixtures to watch out for in the league stage include the opening match and the much-anticipated India-Pakistan clash. Pakistan Champions will open their WCL 2025 campaign on July 18 against England Champions at Edgbaston, Birmingham. Just two days later, on July 20, Pakistan’s legends face off against arch-rivals India Champions at the same venue – a showdown that is sure to attract huge attention.
This high-profile Sunday encounter will revive the historic Pakistan-India rivalry, this time in a battle of legends donning national colors once again.
The full league schedule runs from July 18 to July 29, with double-headers on some days as the six teams each play five matches. According to the announced itinerary:
- July 18 (Fri) – England Champions vs Pakistan Champions (Edgbaston, Birmingham)
- July 19 (Sat) – West Indies Champions vs South Africa Champions
- July 19 (Sat) – England Champions vs Australia Champions
- July 20 (Sun) – India Champions vs Pakistan Champions (Edgbaston, Birmingham)
- July 22 (Tue) – England Champions vs West Indies Champions
- July 22 (Tue) – India Champions vs South Africa Champions
- July 23 (Wed) – Australia Champions vs West Indies Champions
- July 24 (Thu) – South Africa Champions vs England Champions
- July 25 (Fri) – Pakistan Champions vs South Africa Champions
- July 26 (Sat) – India Champions vs Australia Champions
- July 26 (Sat) – Pakistan Champions vs West Indies Champions
- July 27 (Sun) – South Africa Champions vs Australia Champions
- July 27 (Sun) – India Champions vs England Champions
- July 29 (Tue) – Australia Champions vs Pakistan Champions
- July 29 (Tue) – India Champions vs West Indies Champions
After the round-robin stage, the top four teams will qualify for the semi-finals. Both semi-finals are slated for July 31 (Thursday) at Edgbaston – with the 1st-place team facing the 4th-place, and 2nd-place facing 3rd. The winners of those semis will then meet in the WCL 2025 Final on August 2 (Saturday) at Edgbaston, Birmingham.
The choice of Edgbaston for the final is fitting, as it’s the same ground where the thrilling final of the inaugural season took place. Tournament organizers have ensured that fans across different cities – from Northampton to Leeds – get a chance to see their heroes in action before converging to Birmingham for the climax.
WCL Legends Return to Cricket Stadiums
The World Championship of Legends concept taps into cricket nostalgia by featuring recently retired stars competing for national pride once more. Following the success of the 2024 edition, which drew enthusiastic crowds and global viewership, expectations are high for an even more thrilling Season 2.
The six teams are packed with household names from the past. In fact, the 2025 season will see a host of legendary players don their country’s colors again – from South Africa’s AB de Villiers to Australia’s Brett Lee, England’s Eoin Morgan to the West Indies’ Chris Gayle – promising a festival of cricketing nostalgia and high-octane T20 action. Not to forget, India’s squad will be led by the great Yuvraj Singh, who guided the Indian Champions to the title in the inaugural season.
For Pakistani fans, WCL 2025 offers a chance to see their favorites like Afridi, Hafeez, and Malik back on the field together, representing the nation once again. With Hafeez at the helm and a powerful squad at his disposal, the Pakistan Champions are aiming to reclaim the glory that narrowly eluded them last year. The stage is set for them to try and lift the WCL trophy that they came so close to winning in 2024.
As the tournament unfolds in July–August, cricket lovers can look forward to intense rivalries and moments of magic from these veterans of the game. With the legends of six nations set to entertain, the World Championship of Legends Season 2 is gearing up to be a spectacular celebration of cricket’s evergreen heroes.