Sarfaraz Ahmed announces retirement from international cricket
Sarfaraz Ahmed last played for Pakistan in 2023 (Source: PCB)
Published - 15 Mar 2026, 02:42 PM• Read time - 2 mins
Former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed announced his retirement from international cricket on Sunday, March 15. Ahmed last played for his country during the first Test against Australia in Perth, 2023. The wicketkeeper batter made his international debut during an ODI against India in Jaipur, 2007.
He went on to play 54 Tests, 117 ODIs and 61 T20Is for his team, scoring 6,164 runs in his international career. Ahmed rose to prominence in 2006 after leading Pakistan to their second successive Under-19 World Cup victory, beating India in the final.
However, his biggest achievement came when he led Pakistan to the Champions Trophy 2017 triumph after thrashing India by 180 runs in the final. Recalling his career, Ahmed mentioned that captaining his national team was a dream come true and every moment in Pakistan colours was special.
"It has been the greatest honour of my life to represent Pakistan. From leading the U19 team to a world title in 2006 to lifting the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017, every moment in Pakistan colours has been special. Captaining Pakistan across all formats was a dream come true. I always tried to play fearless cricket and build a united team," said Ahmed in a statement.
He also showered praise on Babar Azam, Hasan Ali and Shaheen Afridi on becoming match-winners under his leadership.
"Seeing players like Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Hasan Ali and others grow into match-winners during my captaincy is one of my proudest achievements. I would like to thank the Pakistan Cricket Board for the trust they placed in me over the years. Pakistan cricket has always been very close to my heart, and I will continue to support the game in every possible way," he added.
The 38-year-old is the third most successful wicketkeeper to emerge from his nation with 371 dismissals to his name from 280 innings, which include 315 catches and 56 stumpings. Ahmed also holds the third-best winning percentage (78.38%) as T20I skipper among full member nations (min. 20 matches), having led Pakistan to 29 wins out of 37 matches.
What's next for Sarfaraz Ahmed?
He led Pakistan to 100 international matches, including 50 ODIs, 37 T20Is and 13 Tests. During his captaincy, Pakistan also achieved the no.1 rank in T20Is and also registered a world record 11 successive T20I series victories.
The Karachi-born cricketer also became the youngest Pakistan captain to be bestowed with Pakistan's Pride of Performance in 2018. Having finally brought curtains on his international career, Ahmed is in line to take over the coaching duties of Pakistan. He's currently serving as a member of Pakistan's national selection committee.
