Sarfaraz raised reservations about playing final T20I against England, says Misbah

Pakistan head coach Misbah-ul-Haq has revealed that wicket-keeper batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed was reluctant to play the final T20I of the three-match series against England.

Pakistan head coach Misbah-ul-Haq has revealed that wicket-keeper batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed was reluctant to play the final T20I of the three-match series against England. In the entire tour of England, Mohammad Rizwan was given the preference and he played all Test matches and the two T20Is.

In the final T20I which Pakistan managed to win, Rizwan was given a rest, and in place of him, the former skipper Sarfaraz was given a chance in the playing XI. Now Pakistan coach Misbah has revealed that Sarfaraz was reluctant to play the final T20I, and it was Babar Azam who convinced the former skipper to be in the playing XI.

"He didn't refuse to play but raised genuine reservations over being asked to play in the last match of the tour. The situation naturally gives you concern and that's fair because he thought that a dip in his performance may get us to judge him going forward. Babar, Younis Khan and I spoke with him and told him that he did well on the tour and he should play one game without any additional pressure. There was a need for clarity and we communicated effectively with him well before the game," ESPNCricinfo quoted Misbah as saying. Pakistan had lost the second T20I of the series, but the side managed to win the final match to draw the three-match series at 1-1.

Misbah also clarified that the final T20I against England was not a farewell game for Sarfaraz, but the coach also admitted that Rizwan is now the first-choice wicket-keeper for Pakistan. "It's totally wrong. We told him that performances aren't judged on the basis of just one game. He worked hard throughout the tour, did well in the side matches, and kept well. We have two keepers at the moment, and Rizwan is our No. 1 choice; he is doing great in terms of performance and enjoys our utmost confidence. And Saifi Ahmed right now is our second choice. He has done great in the past and can still contribute in the future," Misbah said.

Sarfaraz was sacked as Pakistan's skipper after the 2019 World Cup as the side failed to reach the semi-finals of the tournament. He was also dropped from every format and was demoted from Category A to Category B in the PCB central contracts. (ANI)

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