Former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed retires from international cricket
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New Delhi: Sarfaraz Ahmed, the wicketkeeper-batter who captained Pakistan national cricket team to victory in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 and remains the only captain to win ICC titles at both junior and senior levels, announced his retirement from international cricket on Sunday, bringing the curtain down on a career spanning nearly two decades.
The 37-year-old represented Pakistan in 54 Tests, 117 One Day Internationals and 61 Twenty20 Internationals, scoring 6,164 runs across formats, including six centuries and 35 half-centuries. Behind the stumps, he completed 315 catches and 56 stumpings.
Sarfaraz led Pakistan in 100 international matches across formats. During his captaincy, the side reached the top of the T20 International rankings and set a world record of 11 consecutive T20I series victories, including six clean sweeps against West Indies, Sri Lanka, Australia, New Zealand and Scotland.
His most memorable moment as captain came at The Oval, where Pakistan defeated India national cricket team by 180 runs in the final of the 2017 Champions Trophy. Earlier, he had guided Pakistan’s Under-19 team to the title at the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2006 in Sri Lanka, where Pakistan beat India by 38 runs in the final.
In recognition of the Champions Trophy triumph, Sarfaraz received the Pride of Performance in 2018, becoming the youngest Pakistan captain to be honoured with the award.
“It has been the greatest honour of my life to represent Pakistan. From leading the Under-19 team to a world title in 2006 to lifting the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017, every moment in Pakistan colours has been special,” Sarfaraz said in a statement.
“I am grateful to my teammates, coaches, family and the fans for their unwavering support throughout my career. Captaining Pakistan across all formats was a dream come true. I always tried to play fearless cricket and build a united team,” he added.
Among his notable individual records, Sarfaraz holds the Pakistan record for most catches in a single Test match, taking 10 against South Africa national cricket team in Johannesburg in 2019. He also remains the only Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter to score a One Day International century at Lord's Cricket Ground, achieving the feat against England national cricket team in 2016.
His captaincy period also helped shape Pakistan’s next generation of cricketers, with players such as Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman and Shadab Khan among those he backed early in their international careers.
Sarfaraz made his international debut in a One Day International in 2007 and played his final match, a Test against Australia national cricket team in Perth, in 2023.
“Seeing players like Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Hasan Ali and others grow into match-winners during my captaincy is one of my proudest achievements. I would like to thank the Pakistan Cricket Board for the trust they placed in me over the years. Pakistan cricket has always been very close to my heart and I will continue to support the game in every possible way,” he said.
Last year, the Pakistan Cricket Board appointed Sarfaraz as manager and mentor of the Pakistan Shaheens and the national Under-19 sides. He was also with the team during this year’s Under-19 World Cup held in Zimbabwe and Namibia, as well as in the Asia Cup Rising Stars event and the Under-19 Asia Cup.
With IANS inputs
