Shoaib Malik backs Sarfraz Ahmed to lead Pakistan in 2019 World Cup

Sarfraz Ahmed has been going through a rough patch in international cricketing. He led the Pakistan team in their tour of New Zealand in January. However, they slumped to a humiliating whitewash in the five-match ODI affair. Subsequently, he was pelted with criticisms from the cricketing fraternity, the media as well as the general audience.

However, several veteran Pakistan cricketers extended their support for the Pakistan skipper and asked everyone to be patient with Sarfraz. After the likes of Shahid Afridi and Moin Khan came out in support of the wicket-keeper batsman, Shoaib Malik has also heaped praises on his Pakistan teammate. The all-rounder spoke to the media and backed Sarfraz to lead the national team in the 2019 World Cup.

Accolades for Sarfraz

“Sarfraz has all the ingredients to lead the team and it will be a wise decision to name him skipper till 2019 World Cup. Sarfraz is a fighter to the core and the team has jelled well under his leadership after the Champions Trophy triumph last year in England,” Sarfraz was quoted as saying to Dawn in an exclusive interview.

The 36-year old also rubbished reports of rifts between players after their dismal show in New Zealand. “This has become a trend in the media that whenever the team loses a series, these rumours surface which have negative impacts on the morale of the team,” Malik added.

The Sialkot cricketer also praised Pakistan’s current bunch of players. “Players like Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Hassan Ali, Shadab Khan, Rumman Raees and Faheem Ashraf are a bunch of very talented and enthusiastic cricketers,” he remarked.

Sarfraz has led the Pakistan team during their victorious campaign in the Champions Trophy and he deserves appreciations for his stupendous performance. However, defeats are part and parcel of the cricketer’s career and that’s exactly when people should back their players to stage a comeback and not spread hatred for them.