Sarfraz Ahmed

Sarfaraz Ahmed is a former international cricketer from Pakistan who served as a wicket-keeper batsman for the national team. He held the captaincy of Pakistan across all three formats between 2016 and 2019. During his tenure, he led the squad to victory in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy.

Early life and education

Sarfaraz Ahmed was born on 22 May 1987 in Karachi. He grew up in a family that operated a printing press business. His paternal ancestors migrated from Azamgarh, India, during the partition, while his mother moved from Dilerganj near Kunda after her marriage in 1982. He is a Muhajir.

His father passed away in 2006. This period marked a significant transition in his early years.

Career

Ahmed achieved early success when he captained the Pakistan Under-19 team to victory in the 2006 U19 Cricket World Cup. He defeated India in the final of that tournament. He later made his One Day International debut on 18 November 2007 during a series against India. Although he did not bat in that match, he eventually became a regular fixture in the squad.

During the 2015 Cricket World Cup, he played a vital role after being selected for the fifth match against South Africa. He scored 49 runs and equalled the ODI record for most dismissals by taking 6 catches. He also matched Adam Gilchrist's record for most dismissals in a single World Cup innings. He earned the Man of the Match award for that performance and again after scoring 101* against Ireland.

His Test debut occurred in Hobart on 14 January 2010 against Australia. While he faced early fluctuations in his selection, he returned to the international side in November 2011. He scored a crucial 46 not out in the Asia Cup final to help Pakistan win by 2 runs. This performance resulted in him receiving a Category C contract.

The Pakistan Cricket Board appointed him as the T20I captain on 5 April 2016. Under his leadership, the team won 11 consecutive T20 series and reached the Number 1 ranking in late 2018. He also took over the ODI captaincy on 9 February 2017. His most notable achievement as an ODI leader was winning the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy after defeating India in the final by 180 runs.

He became the 32nd Test captain for Pakistan on 28 September 2017 against Sri Lanka. Although he faced challenges, including a four-match suspension by the ICC in 2019 following an incident involving a racial slur, he continued to lead the team through the 2019 Cricket World Cup. He was eventually removed from the captaincy in October 2019 before the tour of Australia. Throughout his leadership, he guided the team to 29 wins in 37 matches.

Personal life

He married Syeda Khushbakht in 2015. She is also a Muhajir with ancestors from Aligarh, India. The couple has two children.

Awards and recognition

Ahmed earned the Man of the Match award during the 2015 Cricket World Cup for his performances against South Africa and Ireland. He was also named as the captain and wicket-keeper of the Team of the Tournament at the 2017 Champions Trophy by both the ICC and Cricinfo. In 2015, he became the 7th Pakistani wicket-keeper to reach 1000 Test runs in 28 innings.