For four years he has been out of the Pakistan team. The previous PCB chief Rameez Raja reportedly said his tenure as a Pakistan player was all but over. And when he finally got a chance, under new regime and under the insistence of Shahid Afridi the selector, Sarfaraz Ahmed notched up the runs, including a match-saving hundred in the second Test against New Zealand.
Inevitably the Rameez Raja question propped up in the press conference. “Rameez had said your tenure as a player was over. And under a new daring selector Shahid Afridi you got your chance, what do you have to say?”
Sarfaraz Ahmed’s press conference following the drawn Test in Karachi.#PAKvNZ | #TayyariKiwiHai
https://t.co/oSRFkM3L2k— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) January 6, 2023
Direct, loaded with the opportunity to hit back but Sarfaraz shoulders arms. He doesn’t take Rameez’s name, just nods his head when the question was asked, and then said: “I just tried to play whatever cricket I got, domestic … I moved with people who gave me good guidance, even in media. I got good support from my family and well-wishers,” Sarfaraz said.
Then he turned his attention to Shahid Afridi but also brought up Babar Azam.
“When Shahidbhai (Shahid Afridi) took over, he called me and said I will be playing. Babar Azam also told me during practice that I will be playing. I have played cricket with Shahidbhai, he has been seeing all the things that occurred.”
🎥 🆕 entry on the honours board 👏#PAKvNZ | #TayyariKiwiHai pic.twitter.com/qHEtH3ajFo
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) January 6, 2023
“All that occurred,” is the only reference he would make for the events transpired.
A question was asked to Sarfaraz about captaincy. Again pretty much loaded. The reporter referenced the 20 minutes Sarfaraz captained in the Test in absence of Babar and said, “the team looked different under him … Is he ready to take over captaincy?”
A monumental effort ✨#PAKvNZ | #TayyariKiwiHai pic.twitter.com/MmMxz6iQTw
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) January 6, 2023
Sarfaraz looked up, leaned forward to say: “Babar Azam is the captain now and until he is the captain, we should all support him.”
Elsewhere Afridi has already said that he is “very happy for Saifi”. And added, “Mohammad Rizwan is our main player in T20 and ODIs. I repeat, he is the main player in that format. I don’t want to mix formats. We have to keep some for Tests, some for White ball. Sarfaraz for Tests.”