International career
Sarfaraz Ahmed is a prominent Pakistani cricketer known for his leadership and contributions to the national team across all formats. With a career spanning over 15 years, he captained Pakistan in various formats, leading them to significant victories, including the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy and the 2006 Under-19 World Cup.
- 2006:
- Led Pakistan's Under-19 team to victory in the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup, defeating India in the final.
- 2007:
- ODI Debut: 18 November 2007 vs. India (ODI cap 156).
- Played in the Asia Cup, selected ahead of Kamran Akmal.
- 2010:
- T20I Debut: 19 February 2010 vs. England (T20I cap 36).
- Test Debut: 14 January 2010 vs. Australia (Test cap 198).
- 2015:
- Scored 49 runs off 49 balls and made 6 dismissals against South Africa in the Cricket World Cup.
- Followed by a match-winning 101 against Ireland, helping Pakistan advance to the quarter-finals.
- 2016:
- Became the T20I captain in April 2016, leading Pakistan to 11 consecutive T20 series wins.
- 2017:
- ODI Captaincy: Became Pakistan's ODI captain on 9 February 2017.
- Led Pakistan to victory in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy, defeating India in the final.
- Test Captaincy: Became Pakistan's 32nd Test captain on 28 September 2017.
- 2018:
- Awarded the Sitara-i-Imtiaz in March for his cricketing achievements.
- 2019:
- Led Pakistan in the 2019 ICC World Cup, but they did not qualify for the semi-finals.
- Banned for 4 matches in January for a racial slur incident against South Africa.
- Replaced as captain in October following poor performances.
- 2023:
- Captained Karachi Whites to victory in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, defeating Faisalabad with a score of 456.
- Named Best Player of the Tournament, scoring 697 runs and making 28 dismissals.
Sarfaraz Ahmed's international career, spanning from his debut in 2007 to his retirement in 2023, is filled with leadership triumphs, individual milestones, and significant contributions to Pakistan cricket. His tenure as captain, especially in limited-overs formats, marked some of Pakistan's most successful periods in cricket.
Leagues Participation
Sarfaraz Ahmed has had a significant presence in several cricket leagues over the years, showing leadership and skill in different competitions. Below is a summary of his participation in major cricket leagues.
Lanka Premier League (LPL)
Sarfaraz Ahmed has been part of the Lanka Premier League, joining Galle Gladiators in its inaugural edition in 2020. He returned for the 2021 and 2022 seasons, continuing with the Galle Gladiators.
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Year
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Team
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Notes
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2020
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Galle Gladiators
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Part of the inaugural edition
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2021
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Galle Gladiators
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Played for Galle Gladiators
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2022
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Galle Gladiators
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Signed for the third edition of LPL
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Pakistan Super League (PSL)
Sarfaraz Ahmed has been a key figure in the Pakistan Super League since 2016. He captained Quetta Gladiators, leading them to the final in 2016, 2017, and 2019, with a victory in 2019.
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Year
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Team
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Notes
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2016
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Quetta Gladiators
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Captain, reached final, finished 2nd
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2017
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Quetta Gladiators
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Captain, reached final, finished 2nd
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2018
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Quetta Gladiators
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Captain, eliminated in the first eliminator by Peshawar Zalmi
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2019
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Quetta Gladiators
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Captain, won the PSL
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2024
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Quetta Gladiators
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Not captain, Sarfaraz took a break after 8 years of leadership
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World Championship of Legends (WCL)
Sarfaraz Ahmed is set to play in the second edition of the World Championship of Legends in 2025. This is a T20 competition with cricket legends, and Sarfaraz will be part of the "Pakistan Champions" team.
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Year
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Team
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Notes
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2025
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Pakistan Champions
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Sarfaraz to play in WCL
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Domestic career
Sarfaraz Ahmed had a strong domestic career in Pakistan's cricket. He was chosen as the captain of Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in 2016. He led the team to the final in 2016 and 2017, but Quetta lost both times. In 2019, Sarfaraz guided the team to their first PSL title. In the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, he first captained Sindh but stepped down in 2019 after media questions. He continued to play for the team. In 2023, Sarfaraz led Karachi Whites to win the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, scoring 697 runs and earning the best player of the tournament award. In 2023-24, he helped set a record when five players scored centuries in a single match.
Other Leagues
In 2017, Sarfaraz Ahmed briefly played for Yorkshire in the NatWest T20 Blast campaign. He hoped his participation would inspire Asian cricketers of all ages to join the club.
Records and achievements
Sarfaraz Ahmed has achieved several important records and awards in his career.
- 2006: Led Pakistan to win the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup.
- 2017: Captained Pakistan to victory in the ICC Champions Trophy, defeating India in the final.
- 2017: Named "Best Player of the Year" by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
- 2017: Set a record for the highest score in a series of three or fewer matches by a Pakistani player, scoring 335 runs against New Zealand.
- 2018: Received the Sitara-i-Imtiaz, one of Pakistan’s highest civilian honors.
- 2018: Won the PCB Spirit of Cricket Award.
- 2023-24: Scored a double century in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, setting a new First-Class cricket record in Pakistan.
- 2023: Led Karachi Whites to win the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and was named Best Player of the Tournament after scoring 697 runs and making 28 dismissals.
- First-Class Cricket Record: Scored over 9,000 runs in more than 270 innings with an average of 41.64.
- Five Centuries in One Match: Set a new record in domestic cricket with five players scoring centuries in a single match involving Karachi Whites.
Personal life
Sarfaraz Ahmed was born on May 22, 1987, in Karachi, Pakistan. His family worked in the printing press business. Sarfaraz’s ancestors are from Uttar Pradesh (UP), India. His father’s family moved to Pakistan from Azamgarh during the partition, and his mother’s family came from Dilerganj after she married Sarfaraz’s father in 1982. His father passed away in 2006. Sarfaraz married Syeda Khushbakht, also from a Muhajir family, in 2015. They have two children.
Finance
Sarfaraz Ahmed’s wealth is estimated between $13 million and $25 million as of 2025.
Cars and House
In 2017, Sarfaraz received a BMW XI as a gift from Dewan Motors. He was the captain of the Pakistan cricket team at the time. As of January 2024, Sarfaraz and his family live in London.
Scandals
A lawyer from Punjab filed a lawsuit against Sarfaraz after he yawned during a match against India in the 2019 World Cup. The lawyer wanted him arrested when he returned to Pakistan. Sarfaraz was fined 30% of his match fee for using offensive language during a game in the Kingdom Valley National T20 Cup against Balochistan.
Fans
In 2020, Sarfaraz received criticism after a video appeared showing him saying, “We are looking for gora bro”. Fans found this comment racist and inappropriate. Sarfaraz also upset fans when he criticized a journalist who had questioned Pakistan's captain Babar Azam about his fielding strategy.
A player has a large following with more than 500,000 Instagram followers.
