Mushtaq Ahmed: “Rizwan insisted the coach and captain to play Sarfaraz Ahmed in the Test team”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Mohammad Rizwan wanted fellow Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed to be picked in the Test team, former spinner Mushtaq Ahmed said.
Sarfaraz had been the first-choice wicketkeeper-batsman when he was captain, but lost that position to Rizwan after being stripped of the leadership role.
This resulted in the 36-year-old playing only a handful of games in the span of a few years.
However, noting how well Sarfaraz had been performing in domestic cricket, Rizwan wanted the veteran cricketer to be included in the playing XI for the two-Test series against New Zealand.
Sarfaraz subsequently put on a show to remember as he amassed 335 runs, which included a century and three fifties, at an average of 83.75.
“Rizwan insisted the coach and captain to play Sarfaraz Ahmed in the Test team,” Mushtaq told Cricket Pakistan.
Rizwan recently featured in the five-match ODI series against New Zealand, where he accumulated 161 runs, which included a top score of 54 not out, at an average of 53.66.