Former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed has announced his retirement from international cricket, ending a career that spanned close to two decades. The announcement was reported by the International Cricket Council (ICC), marking the conclusion of an era for one of Pakistan’s most notable wicketkeeper-batters.
Sarfaraz is widely remembered for leading Pakistan national cricket team to a memorable victory in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy. Under his captaincy, Pakistan defeated arch-rivals India national cricket team by 180 runs in the final at The Oval in London, securing the country’s first Champions Trophy title.
Over the course of his international career, Sarfaraz represented Pakistan in all three formats of the game. He played 54 Test matches, 117 One-Day Internationals and 61 Twenty20 Internationals. During this time, he scored more than 6,000 runs and established himself as a dependable wicketkeeper with 315 catches and 56 stumpings across formats.
His leadership role also extended beyond senior international cricket. Earlier in his career, Sarfaraz captained Pakistan’s Under-19 team to victory in the 2006 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup, highlighting his long-standing association with national team success.
Reflecting on his journey, Sarfaraz said representing Pakistan had been the greatest honour of his life. He described winning major ICC tournaments and leading the national side across formats as defining moments of his career.
Sarfaraz also expressed pride in seeing several young players develop during his tenure as captain, including Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali, who later emerged as key contributors to the national side.
His last international appearance came in a Test match against Australia in December 2023. With his retirement, Sarfaraz concludes a significant chapter in Pakistan cricket, remembered for both his leadership and contributions behind the stumps.
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