Pakistan don’t have skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed’s alternative for the World Cup: Wasim Akram

As far as ODI cricket is concerned, Pakistan have had a torrid time over the last few months. They are currently the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) number five team. Last year, barring the five-match ODI series against Zimbabwe, they couldn’t win much in the 50-overs format. Subsequently, wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed’s leadership abilities also came under the scanner.

However, former Pakistan fast bowler Wasim Akram heaped praises on Sarfaraz, hailing him as a ‘passionate captain’. Moreover, the 52-year-old veteran also didn’t mince any words in saying that the national team doesn’t have Sarfaraz’s alternative for the 50-overs World Cup, which is scheduled to get underway on May 30 in England and Wales.

“We no longer have the time to change the captain. Sarfraz is a passionate captain and also there is no alternative choice available,” Akram was quoted as saying in The Express Tribune.

Akram backs the tainted Sarfaraz

Parking aside cricketing skills, Sarfaraz hasn’t had the best of times as he got himself tangled in a controversy in the second ODI of the series against South Africa at the Kingsmead in Durban. He hurled some words at opposition all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo that were termed as ‘racist’. However, later he went and apologised for the rather indifferent words.

Nevertheless, the ICC handed him a suspension of four matches and he was called back to Pakistan. Even as Mohammad Rizwan replaced him as the keeper in the third One-Dayer at the Wanderers in Johannesburg, the experienced Shoaib Malik took over the captaincy mantle and led the team to a win.

In the meantime, Akram feels that calling back the skipper midway through the tour wasn’t a good decision by any means. “Sarfaraz made a mistake but he admitted it and hopefully won’t repeat such a thing in the future. Calling him back from the tour is not a good decision,” he added.

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