wicket keeper/batsman Posted on 12 October 2016 at 03:56 Sarfaraz Ahmed ; born 22 May 1987) is a wicketkeeper and batsman who plays international cricket for Pakistan. He is the national T20I captain of the Pakistan Cricket Team and also the appointed vice captain in the ODI format of the game. Sarfraz is generally an aggressive batsman who can score runs at a brisk pace. He is the son of late Shakeel Ahmed Memon who was the owner of shakeel Brothers, a well known publishing company. He was named as Pakistan's Twenty20 International captain following the 2016 ICC World Twenty20 in India.[1]Early life[edit] Sarfraz belongs to an Urdu-speaking family. He was born in Karachi.[2][3] He is also a Hafiz-e-Quran which he became at the age of 10. In May 2015, Sarfraz married Syeda Khushbakht Shah.[4] International career[edit] One Day International[edit] Sarfraz Ahmed was called up by Pakistan as a cover for Kamran Akmal who had a finger injury in the one-day series between India and Pakistan in November 2007. He made his one day international debut in the final match of the series, on 18 November 2007. He didn't get a chance to bat as Pakistan had won the match before he was needed to bat. In 2008, Sarfraz Ahmed was selected ahead of Kamran Akmal for the Asia Cup. In 2015, Sarfraz was selected for 2015 Cricket World Cup but did not get a chance to play in the first four matches. Due to the first frequent losses, he was selected for Pakistan's fifth match of the event against South Africa where he scored 49 runs off 49 balls and took 6 catches as wicket keeper to equal the one day international record for most dismissals. He was rewarded with the Man of the match award. In his second match in the world cup he scored 101* against Ireland and he was again named the Man of the Match. The win gave Pakistan a spot in the Quarter Finals of the World cup. Sarfaraz's notable achievement during early days of his career was the victory at U19 World Cup 2006 when he led the Pakistani team and defeated India in the final in a low scoring encounter. Test[edit] He made his test match debut in Hobart on 14 January 2010, in the third test match against Australia, replacing Kamran Akmal who suffered an "error-ridden performance" in the second test.[5] He was dropped again after one match. Return to international cricket (2011)[edit] Sarfraz Ahmed returned to the international team for the ODI series against Sri Lanka in November 2011 and for the subsequent series against Bangladesh and the 2012 Asia Cup. In the final of the tournament he scored a crucial 46 not out (the highest score from his team) as Pakistan won the match by 2 runs. He was consequently rewarded a Category C contract and selected for Pakistan's next series against Sri Lanka, again for ODIs. Vice captaincy[edit] After Misbah retired from the ODI format of the game after 2015 Cricket World Cup, Sarfraz was emerging to be a potential successor. However the PCB went with Azhar Ali for the captaincy and considering Sarfraz led the Pakistan U-19 team, appointed him as the Vice Captain of the ODI as well as the T20 team. Captaincy[edit] After Shahid Afridi stepped down as T20 skipper on 3 April 2016, Pakistan Cricket Board appointed Sarfraz Ahmed as captain of national T20 team on 5 April 2016. He won his first match in the only T20I against England by nine wickets.[6] Later his team defeated the 2016 ICC World Twenty20 champions, West Indies with a white wash in a 3 match series.[7] This was the first time that Pakistan has completed a whitewash in a 3 match T20I series.[8] After vice-captaincy[edit] Sri lanka test series (2015)[edit] During the first Test against Sri Lanka at Galle, Sarfraz Ahmad stabilized the Pakistan Innings by a knock of 96 runs in just 85 balls just could not score the century and was bowled by Sri Lankan pacer Dhammika Prasad. During his knock he became the 7th Pakistani wicketkeeper to reach 1000 Test runs, in 28 inns, jointly the fastest Pakistani wicket-keeper with Imtiaz Ahmed. The knock also gave him the man of match award. Sarfaraz was dropped from the T20 series that followed the test match series against Sri Lanka. Many fans back home were shocked and started to raise questions.[9] Pakistani coach Waqar Younis on 6 August said that Sarfraz Ahmed is a key Pakistani player and he should be the next T20 captain of Pakistan.[10] Zimbabawe ODI series (2015)[edit] Due to the foot injury of usual ODI captain Azhar Ali, Sarfraz became the captain for third ODI against Zimbabwe on 5 October 2015.He recorded first win in his debut match as captain. 2016 PSL[edit] Sarfraz was picked by Quetta Gladiators in the PSL players draft on December 21, 2015. He was selected to be the franchise captain for the 2016 season. He led the Gladiators all the way through to the final, losing only two matches before it. But still his team just couldn't make it and they lost in the final to Islamabad United.[11]
1987) is a wicketkeeper and batsman who plays international cricket for Pakistan. He is the national T20I captain of the Pakistan Cricket Team and also the appointed vice captain in the ODI format of the game. Sarfraz is generally an aggressive batsman who can score runs at a brisk pace. He is the son of late Shakeel Ahmed Memon who was the owner of shakeel Brothers, a well known publishing company. He was named as Pakistan's Twenty20 International captain following the 2016 ICC World Twenty20 in India.[1]Early life[edit] Sarfraz belongs to an Urdu-speaking family. He was born in Karachi.[2][3] He is also a Hafiz-e-Quran which he became at the age of 10. In May 2015, Sarfraz married Syeda Khushbakht Shah.[4] International career[edit] One Day International[edit] Sarfraz Ahmed was called up by Pakistan as a cover for Kamran Akmal who had a finger injury in the one-day series between India and Pakistan in November 2007. He made his one day international debut in the final match of the series, on 18 November 2007. He didn't get a chance to bat as Pakistan had won the match before he was needed to bat. In 2008, Sarfraz Ahmed was selected ahead of Kamran Akmal for the Asia Cup. In 2015, Sarfraz was selected for 2015 Cricket World Cup but did not get a chance to play in the first four matches. Due to the first frequent losses, he was selected for Pakistan's fifth match of the event against South Africa where he scored 49 runs off 49 balls and took 6 catches as wicket keeper to equal the one day international record for most dismissals. He was rewarded with the Man of the match award. In his second match in the world cup he scored 101* against Ireland and he was again named the Man of the Match. The win gave Pakistan a spot in the Quarter Finals of the World cup. Sarfaraz's notable achievement during early days of his career was the victory at U19 World Cup 2006 when he led the Pakistani team and defeated India in the final in a low scoring encounter. Test[edit] He made his test match debut in Hobart on 14 January 2010, in the third test match against Australia, replacing Kamran Akmal who suffered an "error-ridden performance" in the second test.[5] He was dropped again after one match. Return to international cricket (2011)[edit] Sarfraz Ahmed returned to the international team for the ODI series against Sri Lanka in November 2011 and for the subsequent series against Bangladesh and the 2012 Asia Cup. In the final of the tournament he scored a crucial 46 not out (the highest score from his team) as Pakistan won the match by 2 runs. He was consequently rewarded a Category C contract and selected for Pakistan's next series against Sri Lanka, again for ODIs. Vice captaincy[edit] After Misbah retired from the ODI format of the game after 2015 Cricket World Cup, Sarfraz was emerging to be a potential successor. However the PCB went with Azhar Ali for the captaincy and considering Sarfraz led the Pakistan U-19 team, appointed him as the Vice Captain of the ODI as well as the T20 team. Captaincy[edit] After Shahid Afridi stepped down as T20 skipper on 3 April 2016, Pakistan Cricket Board appointed Sarfraz Ahmed as captain of national T20 team on 5 April 2016. He won his first match in the only T20I against England by nine wickets.[6] Later his team defeated the 2016 ICC World Twenty20 champions, West Indies with a white wash in a 3 match series.[7] This was the first time that Pakistan has completed a whitewash in a 3 match T20I series.[8] After vice-captaincy[edit] Sri lanka test series (2015)[edit] During the first Test against Sri Lanka at Galle, Sarfraz Ahmad stabilized the Pakistan Innings by a knock of 96 runs in just 85 balls just could not score the century and was bowled by Sri Lankan pacer Dhammika Prasad. During his knock he became the 7th Pakistani wicketkeeper to reach 1000 Test runs, in 28 inns, jointly the fastest Pakistani wicket-keeper with Imtiaz Ahmed. The knock also gave him the man of match award. Sarfaraz was dropped from the T20 series that followed the test match series against Sri Lanka. Many fans back home were shocked and started to raise questions.[9] Pakistani coach Waqar Younis on 6 August said that Sarfraz Ahmed is a key Pakistani player and he should be the next T20 captain of Pakistan.[10] Zimbabawe ODI series (2015)[edit] Due to the foot injury of usual ODI captain Azhar Ali, Sarfraz became the captain for third ODI against Zimbabwe on 5 October 2015.He recorded first win in his debut match as captain. 2016 PSL[edit] Sarfraz was picked by Quetta Gladiators in the PSL players draft on December 21, 2015. He was selected to be the franchise captain for the 2016 season. He led the Gladiators all the way through to the final, losing only two matches before it. But still his team just couldn't make it and they lost in the final to Islamabad United.[11]
