Sarfaraz Ahmed sacked as Pakistan captain: Details here
The Pakistan Cricket Board has sacked Sarfaraz Ahmed from the captaincy of Tests and T20Is. Meanwhile, Men In Green, who are scheduled to tour Australia from November 2019, would be led by Azhar Ali in Tests. Batting sensation Babar Azam would captain in T20Is. The development comes following a series of dismal performances by Pakistan, as they are ranked seventh in the Test Rankings.
Sarfaraz honored to have led Pakistan at highest level
Following the development, Sarfaraz said that he was honored to have led Pakistan at the highest level, as he thanked his colleagues, coaches, and selectors, who helped him in his journey to date. "My good wishes are with Azhar Ali, Babar Azam, and the Pakistan cricket team, and I hope they will continue to grow stronger and stronger," he added.
Azhar's fruitful outing against Australia made him Test captaincy favorite
The board stated in its release that while Azhar has been Pakistan's mainstay batsman since making his debut, his previous outing against Australia, Down Under, was a fruitful one. Also, he has an amazing Test aggregate against Australia, of 938 runs in nine Tests, making him the favorite for the Test captaincy. Against Sri Lanka, he has aggregated 1,156 runs in 14 Tests.
Azhar honored to have been appointed Pakistan Test captain
Reacting to this, Azhar said that it was an absolute honor for him to lead Pakistan in the five-day format of the game. He is excited to take over. "Sarfaraz Ahmed has done an excellent job, and I now look forward to inspiring those players in our endeavors to collectively achieve our World Test Championship objectives and beyond," said Azhar, as reported by ICC.
These are exciting times in Pakistan cricket: Azhar
"These are exciting times in Pakistan cricket with new team management. As a captain, I feel comfortable that there will be a number of knowledgeable people in the hut, who I can rely upon for advice and guidance," added Azhar.
Azhar aims to resume Pakistan's journey to the top
Azhar stated that asides looking to win, he would also allow the players to grow in stature so that Pakistan can resume their journey to the top. "I have always played my cricket the hard way, but in a fair manner, and will ensure I continue to uphold the spirit of cricket and enhance the image of the team and the country," he concluded.
