Sarfraz Ahmed is a Pakistani cricketer who currently serves as the team’s captain in all formats. He was born in Karachi, Sindh, on May 22, 1987. He is the team’s wicketkeeper and bats right-handed.
In 2017, Sarfraz Ahmed led Pakistan to victory in the ICC Champions Trophy.
Background
Sarfraz Ahmed first caught everyone’s attention when he captained the Pakistan U19 team to victory at the 2006 ICC U19 World Cup. He did not have a strong tournament with the bat, scoring just 64 runs in four innings, but he led the side admirably, as shown by the success in the final, when Pakistan held India to a paltry 109 runs.
Sarfraz then burst into Pakistan’s domestic circuit, scoring 523 runs in ten matches and dismissing 28 batsmen behind the stumps. As a result of his success, he was chosen for the Pakistan A team to tour Australia in 2007.
Debut
Sarfraz made his One-Day International debut against India in Jaipur in 2007. In his first three appearances, he did not get to bat. In reality, he only batted twice in his first eight ODIs, scoring 7 and 19 respectively. Sarfraz was dropped after just 9 dismissals with the gloves in those games.
Sarfraz Ahmed made his Test debut in 2010 against Australia in Hobart. He made one and five field goals, as well as four catches.
In the same year, Sarfraz took the field for the first time in national colours in a T20 match against England in Dubai. He was benched after scoring just 5 points in his first two appearances.
Rise to Glory
As Sarfraz reached 74 against Sri Lanka in Dubai in 2014, it seemed that his quest comeback was on track. Over the next one and a half years, he averaged 71.20 to cement himself as the team’s number one wicketkeeper.
Sarfraz Ahmed was not Pakistan’s first-choice wicket-keeper heading into the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup. In a must-win game against South Africa, he was elevated to open the innings and returned with a run-a-ball 49. In the next game, he scored his first ODI century against Ireland, and he hasn’t looked back since.
Sarfraz Ahmed’s crowning achievement came during the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy, when he became the first Pakistani captain to win a 50-over world title since Imran Khan. After losing the first game to India, Pakistan came back strong to win the rest of the games, including the final to avenge India and win the tournament.
Club Career
In the Pakistan Super League, Sarfraz leads the Quetta Gladiators. In both 2016 and 2017, he led his franchise to the tournament final, but they were unable to advance.
Captaincy
After a weak 2016 ICC World T20 campaign, Shahid Afridi was fired, and Sarfraz Ahmed was elected captain of the T20 team by the Pakistan Cricket Board. After Azhar Ali stood down, he was granted the ODI captaincy a year later.
Sarfraz Ahmed became the 32nd captain to lead Pakistan in Test cricket after Misbah Ul-Haq retired from the format.
Pakistan has won 12 of 19 ODIs and 13 of 16 T20Is under Sarfraz Ahmed’s leadership. He did, however, lose both Test matches in which he led Pakistan.