Pakistan's Champions Trophy winning captain Sarfaraz Ahmed announces retirement

Dubai: Sarfaraz Ahmed, who captained Pakistan to victory in the Champions Trophy 2017, announced his retirement from international cricket on Sunday.

Following the announcement, Mohsin Naqvi, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), presented Sarfaraz with a commemorative shield in recognition of his services to Pakistan cricket.

“It has been the greatest honour of my life to represent Pakistan. From leading the Under-19 team to a world title in 2006 to lifting the Champions Trophy in 2017, every moment in Pakistan colours has been special,” Sarfaraz said in a statement.

“I am grateful to my teammates, coaches, family and the fans for their unwavering support throughout my career. Captaining Pakistan across all formats was a dream come true. I always tried to play fearless cricket and build a united team,” he added.

The 37-year-old, who currently serves on the Pakistan men’s selection committee, represented the national side in 54 Tests, 117 One Day Internationals and 61 Twenty20 Internationals. Across formats, he scored 6,164 runs, including six centuries and 35 half-centuries. As a wicketkeeper, he also recorded 215 catches and 56 stumpings.

Sarfaraz’s captaincy tenure was particularly notable. He led Pakistan in 100 international matches across formats and guided the team to the No. 1 ranking in T20 internationals.

Reflecting on his career, PCB chief Naqvi praised the former captain for his dedication, leadership and lasting legacy in Pakistan cricket.

“You have honoured Pakistan by representing the country in cricket and have decorated our game with many successes,” Naqvi said.

“Pakistan cricket will always be indebted to your contributions and will continue to benefit from your experience and abilities,” he added.

One of the most memorable moments of Sarfaraz’s career came when he led Pakistan to Champions Trophy glory in 2017. Earlier, he had also captained Pakistan’s Under-19 side to victory in the ICC Under‑19 Cricket World Cup 2006 in Sri Lanka.