Tag: Sarfaraz Ahmed

  • Blame Sarfaraz for dengue, stray dogs as well: Sattar

    Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Farooq Sattar has made a comment over the removal of Sarfaraz Ahmed from the captaincy of the national cricket team in all formats, The Express Tribune reported.

    According to the details, when asked what he felt about the removal of Sarfaraz, MQM leader said: “It is wrong to remove Sarfaraz on the basis of bad performances in just two to three matches.”

    He added that if Sarfaraz is being blamed for everything that happened wrong with the Pakistan team, then the blame of the “increased number of stray dogs and the ongoing epidemic of dengue in Karachi” should also be put on the former skipper.

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday removed Sarfaraz as team captain after citing his degrading individual and leadership performances in all formats.

    The board then appointed right-handed batsman Azhar Ali as the new Test captain, while Babar Azam was given the captaincy in the T20 format.

    However, the announcement regarding the captain of the ODI format has not been made as of yet. As per PCB, it will be made in due course since the team is not scheduled to play any ODIs until July 2020.

    Earlier, Pakistan hosted Sri Lanka in Karachi and Lahore in a landmark T20 and ODI series, but the return of international cricket was marred by the 3-0 whitewash in T20Is at the hands of a second-string Sri Lanka side.

  • Sarfaraz sent packing after PCB sacks as captain from all formats

    Sarfaraz sent packing after PCB sacks as captain from all formats

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has removed wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed as captain from all formats, with immediate effect, The Cricket Pakistan has reported.

    Sarfaraz Ahmed was under massive criticism for his poor performance both as captain and batsman in the latest T20 series against Sri Lanka.

    A few days ago, seeking Sarfaraz’s removal from the team, a member of Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) submitted a resolution in the Punjab Assembly and also demanded an investigation into Pakistan’s whitewash against a comparatively inexperienced team like Sri Lanka.

    The former skipper has earlier been trained guns at also for his poor performance at the 2019 World Cup, which was followed by a campaign seeking his removal as the captain.

  • Resolution in Punjab Assembly wants Sarfaraz fired

    Resolution in Punjab Assembly wants Sarfaraz fired

    A day after Sri Lanka humiliated Pakistan with a 3-0 win in the T20 series marking the former’s return to the country ever since the 2009 bus attack, a resolution in the Punjab Assembly has sought skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed’s removal from the national cricket team.

    “The team that tops the global T20 rankings, has lost from a team that sits at the eighth spot,” read the resolution submitted by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Malik Zaheer Iqbal.

    Seeking Sarfaraz’s removal from the team, the resolution further demanded an investigation into Pakistan’s whitewash against a comparatively inexperienced team like Sri Lanka.

    Earlier, head coach, chief selector and former national cricket team captain Misbahul Haq conceded that the defeat had been a “wake-up call for the team”.

    Pakistan have been humbled thrice in Lahore, losing the first game by 64 runs, the second by 35 and the third by 13 runs, to a Sri Lankan side missing some of their top players, such as Lasith Malinga, Dimuth Karunaratne and Angelo Mathews.

    “This was an eye-opener for us and you as well. The way we go after the seniors, and what we did in the World Cup. We forget their performances,” said Misbah at a presser in Lahore as he appeared to blame the team’s naivety and struggles against spin bowling the reason for the defeat.

    Sarfaraz, who came in to bat at number four and scored 17 off 16 balls before throwing away his wicket, appeared to pin the responsibility of the failed run chase on his partner Haris Sohail.

    He has earlier been trained guns at also for his poor performance at the 2019 World Cup, which was followed by a campaign seeking his removal as the captain.

  • Sarfaraz’s wife breaks down after he was called a ‘fat pig’

    Sarfaraz’s wife breaks down after he was called a ‘fat pig’

    Following Pakistan’s loss against India in the much-hyped ICC World Cup match, members of the Pakistan cricket team faced an immense backlash at the hands of the public. Captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, in particular, bore the maximum brunt of the upset Pakistani fans who fat-shamed him and called him out for yawning on the field.

    A video of a cricket-goer who called Sarfaraz “a fat pig” in a mall in England while he was with his son also went viral. But many fans stood up to support him after that and pressurised the guy making the video into apologising for his distasteful comments.

    In a recent interview with ICC Insider Zainab Abbas, Sarfaraz opened up about the experience.

    “This was playing on my mind, but I didn’t pay much heed as I thought he won’t do this as his family was also with him. I spoke to his family. One of his family members also apologized on his behalf. But when the video became viral my body language was demotivated. It was not because of me. It was because of my son Abdullah who was with me at that time. That’s why it hurt me even more,” he said while speaking to Zainab about the video.

    Sarfaraz shared that after the video went viral he returned to his hotel room to find his wife crying which really hurt him.

    “When I went back to the hotel I saw my wife was crying after watching the video. I tried to explain to her that this is just one video and that we have had people walk up to us and tell things. This is nothing serious we must be strong. All of this is a part of life, when we don’t perform well we will have to go through all this,” the skipper said.

    The skipper also revealed why he did not react there.

    “I was very angry at that moment, but if I had gotten into an argument people would not have seen the truth and I would’ve been seen in a negative light instead. That’s why I felt not reacting to the incident was the best response as I left it to God,” he said, adding that he was very grateful to everyone who stood up for him. He even said that the fans had a right to be angry “because they have expectations from us.”

    Following their humiliating defeat, Pakistan went to win their next two match against South Africa and New Zealand.

    Watch the entire interview here:

  • VIDEO: Shoaib Akhtar slams ‘fat and unfit’ Sarfaraz after defeat to Windies

    A day after Pakistan faced a humiliating seven-wicket defeat to West Indies in their opening fixture of the 2019 ICC World Cup, Shoaib Akhtar has gone on to slam skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed for being “fat and unfit”.

    Pakistan were left red-faced on Friday when their batting order collapsed and the entire team went back to pavilion for just 105 runs. Windies, on the other hand, chased the target at the loss of three wickets.

    With the cricket team being severely criticised after the match, former cricketer Akhtar, who is no new to controversies, roasted Sarfaraz for his “lack of fitness” as the captain.

    “When Sarfaraz Ahmed came for the toss, his stomach was sticking out and his face was so fat,” he said.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    “He’s the first captain I’ve seen who is so unfit. He’s not able to move across and he’s struggling with wicket-keeping,” he added.

    “Speechless” was Akhtar’s first reaction as the result of the match came out.

    “Okay, the match is over. Recollecting my thoughts and emotions. We have to back these boys, they are representing our nation. They need our support throughout the World Cup,” he said in a subsequent tweet.

    Sarfaraz, during the post-match press conference, said he has full faith in the team and believes that the players will come back stronger after the disappointing result.

    The Greens will next take on hosts and hot favourites England on Monday.