Daily Times

KARACHI: Pakistan cricket captain Sarfraz Ahmed has expressed hope for his team’s winning run to continue on Pakistan’s tour to New Zealand for five ODIs and three T20Is. Speaking to media here, Sarfraz said the tour will be a testing one for Pakistan team as it will be in a different condition, but added that he’s looking forward to continue with the winning run. “We played well in ODIs and T20Is against Sri Lanka and I am looking forward to continue the momentum,” he said. “We will have a short camp here ahead of the tour and we are planning to reache New Zealand at least 8 to 10 days before the start of series, which will provide us ample time to gel in the conditions,” the 30-year-old added.

Pakistan will leave for New Zealand in late December to play a series of five ODIs starting from January 6, followed by a series of three T20Is starting from January 22. Sarfraz also spoke about performers of recent domestic season and hoped that Fawad Alam will be rewarded for his performance in first class cricket. “I hope Fawad will soon get a chance and perform for Pakistan,” said Sarfraz, adding an Urdu-language idiom, “Allah ke ghar dair hai, andhair nahee.” The wicket-keeper batsman said that he was not insecure with the form of Kamran Akmal. “This is Pakistan’s team and whoever performs, will get to play for the country. I am not insecure or threatened by anyone’s performance,” he said.

“Kami was included in the team earlier this year as well and if I was insecure why would have I included him in the squad,” Sarfraz stated. The Pakistan skipper agreed that his side’s performance in longest format is not as good as it should be, given their performance in shortest format of the game. “We are in post-Misbahul Haq and Younus Khan era and that’s why we struggled, it will take some time but I am sure that our Test team will be on same path as the ODI,” he aimed.

Published in Daily Times, November 29^th 2017.