Coach Hafeez defends Sarfaraz Ahmed after Perth Test debacle

Pakistan team director cum coach Mohammad Hafeez has come into defense of senior wicketkeeper batter Sarfaraz Ahmed after Pakistan suffered humiliating defeat in Perth Test.

Sarfaraz Ahmed struggled to perform with the bat as the right-handed batter could only score 3 and 4 in two innings and became the victim of Mitchell Starc both times

“Sarfaraz has given a lot of performances for Pakistan. In the New Zealand series in Pakistan, he was excellent. Yes, 5-6 months have passed but you give first priority to your best performers from recent series. Unfortunately, this match didn’t go well for Sarfaraz according to our expectations,” Hafeez said in a presser.

“However, we can’t start thinking something totally different after one match. Sarfaraz isn’t new – he has toured Australia, South Africa, England before. He’s not new to these conditions that we can say that he’ll struggle to adjust. Yes, he didn’t perform up to expectations as a batsman and keeper. But this doesn’t mean that we should start doubting someone’s skill and saying they can only play in certain conditions.”

Chasing a 450-run target, Pakistan were dismissed for a mere 89 runs, Saud Shakeel top scored for the dismantled visitors’ side with 24 runs.

Pakistan’s last won Test in Australia in 1995 and since then have suffered 15 consecutive defeats.