Sarfaraz Ahmed: Pakistan Has a Strong Chance of Defending ICC Champions Trophy Title
Former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed believes that the Mohammed Rizwan-led team has a "good chance" of defending their ICC Champions Trophy title in front of their home fans.
New Delhi: Former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed believes that the Mohammed Rizwan-led team has a “good chance” of defending their ICC Champions Trophy title in front of their home fans.
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In 2017, under Sarfaraz’s leadership, Pakistan achieved a remarkable victory by defeating India by 180 runs in the Champions Trophy final at The Oval, securing their first-ever title. Now, Sarfaraz has shared his thoughts on the current team’s chances of repeating that success.
Sarfaraz Ahmed on Pakistan’s Strong Team
Sarfaraz highlighted that several players from the title-winning side, such as Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman, remain pivotal to Pakistan’s campaign in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy.
“Pakistan has a really good chance of defending that title, and I think they have a strong team,” Sarfaraz stated. “Some of the boys from 2017 are still there, and we’re talking about some of the best – especially Babar Azam.”
He went on to praise Babar Azam’s development since 2017: “He is a different Babar now, more mature and a dominant player in the game. His batting will be so important for Pakistan, and so will Fakhar Zaman’s.”
In addition, Sarfaraz emphasized the importance of the team’s bowling strength, mentioning the brilliant performances of Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf. “The captain, Mohammad Rizwan, is also a wicketkeeper-batter, which worked pretty well for me back in 2017,” he added.
Pressure of Playing at Home
Sarfaraz acknowledged the added pressure on Pakistan to perform in front of their home fans as the defending champions.
“There will be pressure. Pakistan being at home, being the defending champions, there will be high expectations, but the fans will get behind them,” Sarfaraz said. He also noted the strength of other teams in the tournament, such as Afghanistan, Australia, and India, all of which have strong spin options essential for success in these conditions.
Semi-Final Predictions and Favourites
When asked to predict the semi-finalists, Sarfaraz picked Pakistan, India, Australia, and Afghanistan as his favourites to make it to the final four. However, he was quick to caution that any team could make it to the semi-finals.
“If I had to pick four semi-finalists, I’d probably go for Pakistan, India, Australia, and Afghanistan at this stage, but I would not rule anyone out,” he stated.
India vs Pakistan: A Special Clash
The much-anticipated India-Pakistan clash on February 23 in Dubai is a fixture that Sarfaraz Ahmed is particularly excited about. He described the match as a “special occasion,” with a lot of hype and pressure surrounding it.
“Whenever we meet, it is a special occasion and there is so much hype and pressure around it,” Sarfaraz said. “But as players, you need to stay calm, try and block that noise out and just play with the same intensity as you would play against Australia or any other team.”
Pakistan’s Tournament Opener Against New Zealand
Pakistan will begin their Champions Trophy campaign with a match against New Zealand on February 19 at the National Stadium in Karachi.
