The name Sarfaraz Ahmed brings up mixed emotions for people all around South Asia. People across India remember him as the reason of India’s 2017 Champions Trophy defeat in the finals at the hands of arch-rivals Pakistan. Pakistanis, of course, remember him for the same reason, but on a much positive note. Pakistan was disappointed in the captain during the 2019 ODI World Cup, when Pakistan failed to clear the group stages under him.
The former Pakistan captain has been in the news again, the reason being his 5 year old son Abdullah Ahmed. A video has been rendered viral on Twitter, Instagram and all other social media platforms where the legendary captain was seen playing cricket on the streets near his home with his son Abdullah Ahmed. In the video, they were surrounded by onlookers who cheered and clapped as the young Ahmed took up the ball to face the batsman his father, Ahmed senior. The resultant ball was bowled on a perfect yorker line, which ended up removing the bails behind Sarfaraz Ahmed! Abdullah Ahmed was able to get his father out clean bowled, leaving netizens stunned, just like Sarfaraz Ahmed was in the video.
The ex-captain has often been asked if the fans will ever get to see Junior Ahmed continuing his legacy. To this Sarfaraz Ahmed has staunchly denied, claiming that he would never let his son get anywhere near cricket as a career, for the Quetta Gladiators captain believes that he has himself seen how dirty the world of cricket is. He wants to protect his son, and hence doesn’t want his son to hold cricket as a career.
Abdullah, though, doesn’t seem to share his father’s opinions. Young though he might be, he is clearly drawn towards cricket as displayed by his cricketing skills. Cricket might be in his genes after all.
Sarfaraz Ahmed last played an ODI for Pakistan in April 2021 against South Africa at Centurion. His last T20 came in November, 2021 against Bangladesh. That also happened to be the last time he donned the green jersey and the wicketkeeper gloves. He is yet to make an international presence since. He still plays for and captains Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League, the Pakistan equivalent of IPL. The team finished fifth in the season this year.
