Press Trust of India
Lahore, April 5: Wicket-keeper batsman Sarfraz Ahmed was Tuesday named captain of Pakistan’s Twenty20 team, replacing Shahid Afridi who resigned from the position after the side’s dismal World Twenty20 campaign.
“PCB is pleased to announce appointment of Sarfraz Ahmed as captain of Pakistan T20 team. Sarfraz was appointed vice-captain of ODI and T20 teams last year. He takes over the captaincy of the shortest form of the game from Shahid Afridi whose term as captain came to an end after the ICC World T20 2016,” the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in a statement.
The Pakistan cricket fraternity lauded this development. “He should have also been appointed captain of the ODI squad,” stated former wicketkeeper-batsman Rashid Latif. “Pakistan have faced problems in the limited over formats and there is a need to have a fresh captain and mindset in both formats,” he added.
Commenting on this development PCB chairman Shahryar Khan said Ahmed was the natural choice for the leadership role. “I spoke to Sarfraz this morning (Tuesday) and conveyed to him that he was our natural choice for this position,” Shahryar stated.
The 28-year-old Ahmed has played 21 Tests in which he has scored 1296 runs at an average of 46.28. His 58 ODI appearances have fetched him 1077 runs at an average of 29.91. In 21 T20Is, Ahmed has notched up 291 runs at 29.10.
