Sarfaraz Ahmed Refused Stepping Down As Pakistan's Captain Before Being Sacked: Report

Former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed had an opportunity to step down from the post before being sacked but 32-year-old refused to step down, a report in PTI suggests. Sarfaraz, who led Pakistan to title triumph in ICC Champions Trophy 2017, was sacked as Pakistan captain as PCB rang changes.

Also Read: Pay hike on the cards for Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane?

Azhar Ali, former ODI captain, was given the charge to lead the Test team while Babar Aam, who was named Sarfaraz’s deputy before the Sri Lanka T20Is, was named the captain in the shortest format.

“Sarfaraz flatly refused to do this and told Wasim the board could sack him if they wanted but he would not step down himself,” a source was quoted as saying by PTI.

A call on Sarafraz’s ODI captaincy wasn’t taken as Pakistan play their next ODI in July next year but there is every indication that he has been sacked as ODI captain as well.

Sarfaraz was first handed captaincy in the T20I format after T20 World Cup 2016. He later replaced Azahar Ali as ODI captain in early 2017. Following the retirement of Misbah-ul-Haq from Tet cricket, Sarfaraz was named full-time captain across formats the same year.

Barring the T20I format, Sarfaraz doesn’t have a good record. In 13 Tests that he led Pakistan, they lost eight and won just four matches. In 50 ODIs, Pakistan won 28 and lost 20 ODIs. Though he has a superb record in the shortest format as under him, Pakistan climbed to no. 1 spot and won 29 out of 37 T20Is under him.

The recent series defeat against Sri Lanka, where the second-string team whitewashed Pakistan, played against Sarfaraz and PCB decided to remove him as captain.

Also Read: Virat Kohli to skip Bangladesh T20Is – report

He is also in line to be dropped from the squad as well as multiple reports have suggested that Sarfaraz might not be part of T20I and Test squad for the Australia tour. If dropped, Sarfaraz will return to domestic cricket to make a comeback in the national team.

Pakistan play Australia in three T20Is and two Tests from November 3 to December 3.