ICC trophy-winning Pakistani captain retires, ending era of glory
Sarfaraz Ahmed has announced his retirement from international cricket after a nearly two-decade-long career. He led Pakistan to victory in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy and was a key player in the team's success
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Pakistani wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed announced his retirement from international cricket on Sunday, ending a career that spanned nearly two decades.
Sarfraz Ahmed made his international debut in November 2007. He last played for Pakistan in November 2021. The 37-year-old played 54 Tests, 117 ODIs, and 61 T20Is for Pakistan, scoring a total of 6,164 runs across all three formats, including six centuries and 35 half-centuries. Behind the stumps, he took 315 catches and effected 56 stumpings. Sarfraz led Pakistan to victory in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017. He is the only captain to win ICC titles at both the junior and senior levels.
Announcing his retirement, Sarfaraz said, "Representing Pakistan has been the greatest honor of my life. From leading the Under-19 team to the world title in 2006 to lifting the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017, every moment spent in the Pakistan jersey has been extremely special. I am grateful to my teammates, coaches, family, and fans for their unwavering support throughout my career. Captaining Pakistan in all formats was a dream come true. I always strived to play fearless cricket and build a cohesive team."
Sarfaraz captained Pakistan in a total of 100 international matches across all formats. He played 37 T20 Internationals as captain. He also led Pakistan in 50 ODIs. In Test cricket, Sarfaraz led the team in 13 matches.
Under Sarfraz's leadership, the team reached the top spot in the T20I rankings. Pakistan also set a world record for winning 11 consecutive T20I series, including six clean sweeps against the West Indies, Sri Lanka, Australia, New Zealand, and Scotland.
His proudest moment as captain came at London's The Oval, when Pakistan defeated India by 180 runs in the 2017 Champions Trophy final. Prior to this, he also led the team to the ICC Under-19 World Cup title in Sri Lanka in 2006. In recognition of that Champions Trophy victory, Sarfaraz was awarded the Pride of Performance award in 2018, making him the youngest Pakistani captain to receive this honor.
Among his individual records, Sarfraz holds the Pakistani record for taking 10 catches in a single Test match, which he achieved against South Africa in Johannesburg in 2019. He is also the only Pakistani wicketkeeper-batsman to have scored an ODI century at Lord's.
His captaincy proved to be a great nursery for the next generation of Pakistani cricket. Players like Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, and Shadab Khan are among those who were supported by Sarfaraz early in their international careers.
Sarfaraz continued, "Seeing players like Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Hasan Ali, and others become match-winners under my captaincy is one of my proudest achievements. I would like to thank the Pakistan Cricket Board for their trust in me over the years. Pakistani cricket has always been very close to my heart, and I will continue to support the game in every possible way."