Pakistan captain announces shock retirement after T20 World Cup 2026
Published - 15 Mar 2026, 03:18 PM | Updated - 15 Mar 2026, 04:34 PM
In a massive development, the Pakistan National Cricket Team Champions Trophy-winning captain, Sarfaraz Ahmed, has announced his retirement from international cricket. Sarfaraz reflected on his incredible journey from youth cricket all the way to lifting the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017.
He played his final Test match against Australia in December 2023. Sarfaraz last appeared in white-ball cricket for Pakistan during the 2021 season. Following his playing career, he recently joined the Pakistan Cricket Board selection committee and currently coaches the Pakistan Under-19 squad full-time.
It Has Been the Greatest Honour of My Life - Sarfaraz Ahmed
On March 15, 2026, Sarfaraz Ahmed ended an illustrious two-decade career. Sarfaraz expressed immense gratitude toward his teammates, coaches, and dedicated fans.
“It has been the greatest honour of my life to represent Pakistan. From leading the U19 team to a world title in 2006 to lifting the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017, every moment in Pakistan colours has been special. I am grateful to my teammates, coaches, family and the fans for their unwavering support throughout my career," Sarfaraz said.
I Always Tried to Play Fearless Cricket - Sarfaraz Ahmed
Sarfaraz said that he always wanted to play fearless cricket for Pakistan and felt proud to help develop players like Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi during his captaincy.
“Captaining Pakistan across all formats was a dream come true. I always tried to play fearless cricket and build a united team. Seeing players like Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan 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 concluded.
Sarfaraz Ahmed Enjoyed A Successful Career For Pakistan
Sarfaraz Ahmed won international titles at both junior and senior levels for Pakistan. He led the Pakistan Under-19 team to the 2006 World Cup title after defeating India and later captained Pakistan to victory over the India national cricket team in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy final.
Under his leadership, the Pakistan national cricket team reached the No. 1 position in the T20I rankings and achieved a world-record 11 consecutive series wins in the format. Sarfaraz captained the Men in Green in 100 international matches.
The right-handed batter scored 6,164 runs across all formats, including six centuries and 35 half-centuries. Sarfaraz played 54 Tests, 117 ODIs, and 61 T20Is for Pakistan and was a dependable middle-order batter.
Behind the stumps, he took 315 catches and completed 56 stumpings. He also holds the Pakistan record for 10 catches in a single Test against South Africa and remains the only Pakistan wicketkeeper to score an ODI century at Lord's against England.
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Sai Vaitla is an author at Cricketaddictor and he has been working since September 2022. Sai Vaitla...
