Former Pakistan Captain Sarfaraz Ahmed Announces Retirement

Former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed has announced his retirement from international cricket, ending a nearly two-decade-long career. Ahmed, 38, led Pakistan to several memorable victories, including the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy title and the 2006 U-19 World Cup. He represented Pakistan in 54 Tests, 117 ODIs, and 61 T20Is, scoring 6,164 runs and taking 315 catches and 56 stumpings behind the stumps. Ahmed also captained Pakistan in 100 international matches across formats, leading the team to the No.1 ranking in T20I cricket. Sarfaraz Ahmed's emotional farewell. He's grateful for the incredible journey, citing the 2006 U-19 World Cup win and 2017 Champions Trophy triumph as highlights. He's thankful for teammates, coaches, family, and fans' support. "Captaining Pakistan across all formats was a dream come true. I always tried to play fearless cricket and build a united team. Seeing players like Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Hasan Ali and others grow into match-winners during my captaincy is one of my proudest achievements. Sarfaraz Ahmed's leadership stats are impressive - 100 matches as captain, taking Pakistan to No.1 in T20Is. He scored 3031 Test runs, 2315 ODI runs, and 818 T20I runs. Behind the stumps, he took 315 catches and 56 stumpings. The 2017 Champions Trophy win was a career highlight, overcoming odds to beat India in the final. He was highly-rated as captain in Pakistan, and, despite the Champions Trophy win, will perhaps be best remembered for his stint as T20I captain. Appointed in 2016, he transformed Pakistan into the best T20I side in the world, a ranking they held for over a year under his leadership. As captain, he won 29 of 37 T20Is, with the highest win percentage of any captain in the format in Pakistan. They would go on to win 11 successive T20I series, a world record. He also captained Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League for eight years, leading them to their only title in 2019. Sarfaraz Ahmed's career had its ups and downs - dropped as captain in 2019, out of the team for over a year, but he made a remarkable comeback 🔥. His standout performances in Karachi against New Zealand in 2022, including an unbeaten 118 in a thrilling draw, showcased his resilience. He returned to the side and played his last game for Pakistan against Australia in the Perth Test in December 2023. He was recently appointed to the selection panel for Pakistan's men's side.