Mohammad Hafeez: “Sarfaraz has been with the team for the last three years but only as a traveller and could not play a match, and at several points, he can be given a chance to play”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez said wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed deserves to be given more chances to play following his outstanding performance in the Test series against New Zealand.
The former Pakistan captain was handed the opportunity to resurrect his Test career and made the most of it as he scored 335 runs in two matches, which included a career-best 118 and three half-centuries, at an average of 83.75.
This has created a bit of a dilemma for Pakistan as Mohammad Rizwan has been their go-to wicketkeeper-batsman in all three formats for the past few years.
But, with Sarfaraz having dominated in his first Test series back since January 2019, questions remain over whether he should continue being selected ahead of Rizwan.
Another alternative is to play both of them, with Sarfaraz assuming the role of a middle order batsman.
For Hafeez, he just wants to see the 35-year-old be given more opportunities to play for Pakistan instead of constantly being made to sit on the bench and stay with the team as a “traveller”.
“Sarfaraz has been with the team for the last three years but only as a traveller and could not play a match, and at several points, he can be given a chance to play,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Sarfaraz will now captain the Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), which will be played between February 13 and March 19 in Karachi, Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi.
The Gladiators’ first match will be against the Multan Sultans in Multan on February 15.
Quetta Gladiators Squad for PSL 8: Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Wanindu Hasaranga, Iftikhar Ahmed, Jason Roy, Odean Smith, Ahsan Ali, Mohammad Hasnain, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Mohammad Zahid, Naveen-ul-Haq, Umar Akmal, Umaid Asif, Will Smeed, Aimal Khan, Abdul Wahid Bangalzai, Martin Guptill, Omair Bin Yousuf, Qais Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Dwaine Pretorius, Will Jacks and Nuwan Thushara