Former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed on Sunday confirmed his retirement from all forms of cricket, ending a long international career in which he led the side to memorable triumphs against arch-rivals India’s national cricket team in two major finals of ICC tournaments.The wicketkeeper, who last represented the Pakistan national cricket team in a Test against the Australian national cricket team in Perth in December 2023, announced his decision through a statement issued by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
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According to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) sources, a formal announcement could now allow Sarfaraz to be appointed as the head coach of the national Test team on a long-term basis.
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The role of red-ball coach has remained vacant since the board decided not to continue with Azhar Mahmood, who served as the interim head coach of the Test team last year.Sarfaraz, who will turn 39 in May, has already been given several responsibilities within the Pakistan cricket structure. He was recently appointed as a member of the national selection committee and also appointed as a mentor and manager for the Pakistan Under-19 and Shaheens teams.Despite nearing the end of his career, the Karachi-born cricketer continued to play domestic cricket and recently appeared in a first-class match in October last year. However, he said in a statement that he now intends to devote his time to his administrative and mentoring duties.“I could never have dreamed of captaining Pakistan in all three formats and winning the ICC Under-19 World Cup in 2006 and Champions Trophy 2017… these are unforgettable moments for me,” he said.Sarfaraz added that throughout his career he has tried to promote fearless cricket while promoting strong unity in the team environment.During his international tour, the wicketkeeper-batsman represented Pakistan in 54 Tests, 117 One Day Internationals and 61 T20 Internationals. He has also captained the national side in 100 matches across three formats.
