Sarfaraz Ahmed bids farewell to international cricket

Sarfaraz Ahmed has officially retired from international cricket, closing a remarkable journey that stretched across 17 years and delivered some of Pakistan’s most iconic moments. The Karachi‑born wicketkeeper‑batter debuted in 2007 and went on to play 232 matches across formats, scoring 6164 runs and contributing 371 dismissals behind the stumps. As captain, he led Pakistan in 100 internationals, guiding the team to the top of the T20I rankings and orchestrating a record run of 11 straight T20I series wins. His defining achievement remains the 2017 Champions Trophy triumph, where Pakistan stunned India in the final, making him the only captain to win ICC titles at both senior and U19 levels.

Sarfaraz also nurtured future stars such as Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi. With his playing opportunities reduced in recent years, he is now widely expected to transition into coaching. In his farewell message, he called representing Pakistan “the greatest honour” of his life.