Veteran Pakistan batsman Mohammad Hafeez has shot back at rumours surrounding his retirement from Test cricket as he reiterated his desire to focus on white-ball cricket.

The 38-year-old recently announced his retirement from red-ball action with Pakistan’s third Test against New Zealand being his final match in the format.

With Pakistan set to tour South Africa at the end of the year, rumours had started circulating that Hafeez’s retirement came to his fear of facing Proteas pacers Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada.

When queried by Geo News if there were any truths to those rumours, Hafeez said, “People think that I am afraid of South Africa’s playing conditions and Steyn and Rabada.”

“I have to face these bowlers in one-day cricket also. I will answer these statements with my performance,” he added.

Hafeez was recently appointed skipper of Lahore Qalandars.

In 55 Tests for Pakistan, Hafeez scored a total of 3,652 runs at an average of 37.64 while also picking up 53 wickets with his off-spin.

The veteran will continue to play limited-overs cricket and has recently been announced as the skipper of Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Lahore Qalandars.

The Qalandars pulled off the biggest coup in the PSL 2019 player draft by signing South Africa’s AB de Villiers and Hafeez is trying to convince the star to commit himself to the entire length of the tournament including the Pakistan leg.

“Our aim is now to win matches in PSL. We have a good combination of players, especially AB de Villiers who is a world-class player,” Hafeez said.

“The best thing is we are trying to convince de Villiers to play the full length of the tournament. If that happens we will get to see him in action in Pakistan also.”