I saw it coming: Shoaib Akhtar on Sarfaraz Ahmed being sacked as captain
Pakistan's former cricketer Shoaib Akhtar reacted to the Pakistan Cricket Board's decision to sack Sarfaraz Ahmed as the captain of the Test and T20I sides.
Taking to Twitter on Friday, the Rawalpindi Express said, "I saw it coming for Sarfaraz. Nobody else is to be blamed but him. Been telling him for two years to pull up his socks."
I saw it coming for Sarfraz. Nobody else is to be blamed but him. Been telling him for two years to pull up his socks.
— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) October 18, 2019
"Lack of decision making and leadership quality from Sarfaraz is the reason behind his sacking," Akhtar further tweeted.
Calling him a "timid" captain, Akhtar, in his YouTube video, added, "I have tried explaining that he should make his own decisions and take the responsibility of leading the team from the front." Finding fault with Sarfaraz Ahmed's fitness levels, the Pakistani legend also opined that the 32-year-old turned "lazy" and underutilised his batting credentials after being handed over the team's captaincy.
The wicketkeeper-batsman had taken to the national team's captaincy in 2016. Under Sarfaraz Ahmed's leadership, Pakistan had won 11 consecutive T20I series and even rose to the number one spot in ICC rankings in the shortest format. The high point of his stint as a captain though came when Pakistan pipped arch-rivals India to clinch the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017.
However, Pakistan's poor show in this year's 50-over World Cup had raised questions over Ahmed's place in the side. Making matters worse, the Asian heavyweights were also battered in the hands of a depleted Sri Lankan side in the recently-concluded T20I series at home. Ahmed's poor show with the bat has also prompted the selectors to drop him for the upcoming tour of Australia.
The PCB, on Friday, announced that Sarfaraz Ahmed will be replaced as the skipper of the Test and T20I sides by Azhar Ali and Babar Azam respectively with immediate effect.
Reacting to his new assignment, Azhar Ali said, "There is no bigger honour than to captain the Pakistan national cricket team in the pinnacle format of the game. I feel humbled, excited and privileged, and with the support of the team, look forward to justifying the faith that has been entrusted upon me for the World Test Championship.Sarfaraz Ahmed has done an excellent job in transforming raw talent into experienced players and I now look forward to inspiring those skillful players in our endeavours to collectively achieve our World Test Championship objectives and beyond."