Sarfaraz all pumped up

Babar is my captain when we play together for Pakistan and that’s that, says former skipper

With the Pakistan Super League’s (PSL) exhibition game in Quetta done and dusted, fans are now awaiting for the colourful opening ceremony which will lead on to the 8th season of the tournament.

The action-packed game was played between Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi at Bugti Stadium, where the home side managed to clinch the victory.

The captain with the golden hat Sarfaraz Ahmed showcased his leadership skills, giving Gladiators fans something to look forward to in this season of the campaign.

“This was just a practice match but the support we got from the crowd in Quetta was wonderful, they really made us feel like it was a home ground for us,” said Sarfaraz while talking to Bol News. “Even in Karachi, when we have matches we get a lot of support. We are truly blessed to have the kind of fan following and it really boosts our morale and makes us want to perform even better in games.”

He acknowledged that his side had a mediocre few seasons recently, vowing to work hard to bring the purple force back as the frontrunners to lift the trophy.

“We have had great picks this season, the combination of local and foreign players is exquisite and it will be wonderful to have them all come together to bring the trophy home for the fans,” said the former Pakistan captain.

Gladiators captain is happy with the players he has at his disposal for the upcoming edition of the tournament.

“We have been really lucky with our picks this year both on the national and international front. We have Jason Roy, Martin Guptill and Will Smeed and they make a great combination with our local players such as Iftikhar Ahmed, Naseem Shah and Muhammad Nawaz so it will be interesting to see how these combinations will play out,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Champions Trophy-winning captain debunked theories related to a rivalry between him and the current Pakistan skipper Babar Azam.

“I don’t know why there’s this misconception that I have anything to prove to Babar or that I am his rival,” he said. “There is no such thing here, he is the captain of the Pakistan team and should be very secure about his position.

“As for PSL, we both captain our teams and of course, both of us are here to win the title so there is obviously a healthy competition. However, this speculation of any rivalry between us off the field should be put to rest, now and forever. Babar is my captain when we play together for Pakistan and that’s that.”

The Karachi-born mentioned the recent video, where he was seen showing his bats to Babar to get an opinion on them as he believes his knowledge about cricket equipment is just unmatched, proving that there is no grudge between them.

Quetta Gladiators’ Sarfaraz Ahmed celebrates after scoring a half-century (50 runs) during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) T20 cricket match between Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators at the National Stadium in Karachi on March 2, 2021. (Photo by Asif HASSAN / AFP) (Photo by ASIF HASSAN/AFP via Getty Images)

“After the great Younis Khan, Babar is the only teammate I’ve seen who takes such great care of his equipment and who has such knowledge when it comes to knowing different bats. So whenever I get any bat I make sure to show it to Babar and take his expert opinion on it,” he added. “And when it comes to friendship and comradeship, it is not just Babar, the whole team and all of the current players really gel well together and spend a lot of time together off the field, which then reflects on the field.”

Sarfaraz wants to play an instrumental role in his team’s success during the upcoming edition of the league. He wants the Purple shirts to be at the top of the points table. Having said that, he also accepted that he sees this tournament as an opportunity to make a case for himself to make a comeback in limited-over cricket.

“As for making a comeback in the Pakistan ODI and T20 formats, of course, that is a factor in the back of my head but I tend to focus on what is in front of me and currently that is leading Quetta Gladiators to victory,” he maintained.

It will be the eighth of the league. PSL has come a long way and it has not become a major cricket event globally.

According to Sarfaraz, the teams have now finally cracked how to utilise their different resources, especially their foreign players.

“PSL and leagues, in general, have evolved in the past few years. In the beginning, no one knew how to utilise the international players they pick. Or how to garner new talent,” he said. “Now, they know how to make combinations and use international players to bring an element of surprise into the game.”

Sarfraz who has given his fans a couple of fantastic knocks in the Test series against New Zealand after making his comeback after 2019, has managed to cement his position in the Test team. Now, all eyes are on him to bring glory to his team in the latest PSL, which can pave way for his ODI and T20 return.

What is marvellous about this whole proposition is the way Sarfaraz has chosen to conduct himself with his head down, concentration on its peak and letting his bat do the talking.

The former U19 World Cup-winning captain is determined to prove that his career is not over, which is why he has announced to bat at the one-down position and lead his side from the front.