Hafeez, 31, was thrown into the deep end when regular captain Misbah-ul-Haq was banned from the first Test in Galle due to Pakistan’s slow over-rate in the final one-dayer in Colombo on Monday. “Misbah’s calm influence will be missed, but it is a great honour to lead my country in Test cricket and I am ready for the challenge,” Hafeez said yesterday.

Mohammad Hafeez