Sikander Bakht, a former fast bowler, has asserted that he received information suggesting that wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan expressed reluctance about Sarfaraz Ahmed’s return to the Pakistan cricket team. Bakht, who is currently 65 years old, acquired this knowledge through another cricketer. He highlighted that news tends to circulate swiftly within the closely-knit Pakistani cricket fraternity.
It’s noteworthy to mention that Mohammad Rizwan assumed the role of Pakistan’s primary wicketkeeper-batsman after Sarfaraz Ahmed was relieved of his captaincy duties in October 2019. Subsequently, Sarfaraz transitioned to a backup position, and even younger players like Mohammad Haris were chosen over him on occasions.
However, in recent developments, the 35-year-old Sarfaraz was given the opportunity to participate in a Test series against New Zealand, thereby displacing Rizwan from his position. Sarfaraz showcased commendable performance by amassing 335 runs, which included a personal best score of 118, along with three half-centuries, maintaining an impressive average of 83.75.
Sikander Bakht weighed in on this situation, expressing, “I believe the decision to exclude Sarfaraz had already been made. In our cricket community, news spreads rapidly. Another cricketer, associated with our programs, informed me that Rizwan stated, ‘I will not permit Sarfaraz to return to the Pakistan team.'”