Rashid Latif: “Sarfaraz (Ahmed) will be Pakistan’s first-choice wicketkeeper in T20Is and second choice in Tests”

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Former wicketkeeper-batsman Rashid Latif believes that Sarfaraz Ahmed will be Pakistan’s first-choice wicketkeeper over Mohammad Rizwan during the T20 series against England.

Pakistan are scheduled to play three Tests and three T20 Internationals against England, with the first Test starting on August 5 and the T20 series beginning on August 28.

However, while Latif sees Sarfaraz as Pakistan’s go-to wicketkeeper in the T20 series, he believes Rizwan will be preferred in the Test series.

“Sarfaraz (Ahmed) will be Pakistan’s first-choice wicketkeeper in T20Is and second choice in Tests. Rizwan’s performances in Test matches have been really good so far. So I don’t think Sarfaraz will be preferred over Rizwan in Test cricket,” Latif told Cricket Pakistan.

“The reason for taking Sarfaraz along is because they had to pick a bigger squad as the team will be in quarantine initially due to the pandemic.

“It will be a difficult challenge for Sarfaraz to sit on the bench after leading Pakistan for three to four years and winning titles like [the] Champions Trophy for the country. However, it is not impossible and I expect him to fight and overcome this tough task.

“Sarfaraz could have gone a little late as well. He could have travelled during the middle of the Test series. Maybe [the] PCB was not able to plan it properly. Since there is a chartered flight being sent by [the] ECB, the board thought of sending everyone together. Sarfaraz didn’t have to go together as he is a very big name of Pakistan cricket as a [former] captain and leader.”

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