PAK vs NZ: "Jo Maine 3 Balls Kheli Hain Lunch Se Pehle, Uss Time Meri Koi Heartbeat Check Kar Leta Toh Shayad Meter Hi Phat Jaata" - Sarfaraz Ahmed

Former Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed made a stunning comeback to Test cricket against New Zealand on Monday after almost four years. The veteran wicketkeeper-batsman scored 86 off 153 balls and put on a crucial 196-run partnership with captain Babar Azam for the fifth wicket.

Sarfaraz Ahmed, who had been on 49 Tests since 2019, finally got his chance. The hosts were already four wickets down at 110 when he came in to bat, with captain Babar Azam at the other end. He came to the crease with only three balls to spare in the first session of the day, and he hit a four off his second ball.

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I Felt Like I Was Making My Debut All Over Again – Sarfaraz Ahmed

During the post-match press conference after the end of Day 1, Sarfaraz admitted that he was nervous when he arrived at the crease, but he stated that his teammates had to calm him down when he reached the dressing room at Lunch.

“Jo maine 3 balls kheli hain lunch se pehle, uss time meri koi heartbeat check kar leta toh shayad meter hi phat jaata (During the 3 balls that I played before lunch, if someone had checked my heartbeat, there was a high possibility that the monitor would’ve broken),” Sarfaraz said.

“Because it was beating very fast. I felt like I was making my debut all over again. The situation was also quite crunch at the time. In fact, when I came back for lunch, the boys realised what I was going through so they kept on saying, ‘Saifi bhai, please get normal!’” he added.

The 35-year-old further stated that Babar continued to motivate him during the partnership. He said, “When I went again, Babar gave me a lot of confidence. He played like a senior cricketer there because I really needed some confidence at the time. When you make a comeback after such a long time, you feel like you’re playing your first match.”

Also read: AUS vs SA: “He Was Like, ‘I’m Cramping,’ I Was Like, ‘Good, Just Keep Going'” – Steve Smith Reveals His Funny Conversion With David Warner

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