Can Pakistan Make it Two in a Row? Sarfaraz Ahmed Says Yes!

New Delhi, Feb 13 (IANS) – Former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed believes his country has a “good chance” of successfully defending their ICC Champions Trophy title on home soil.

Ahmed, who led Pakistan to their first-ever Champions Trophy triumph in 2017 with an impressive 180-run victory over India at The Oval, highlighted the experience and skill of key players like Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman, who were instrumental in that win.

“Pakistan have a really good chance of defending that title, and I think they have a strong team,” Sarfaraz told ICC. “Some of the boys from 2017 are still there, and we’re talking about some of the best – especially Babar Azam.”

He emphasized the immense growth of Babar Azam, describing him as a “different Babar to the one that played in 2017, a more mature player and a dominant player in the game.” The veteran wicketkeeper-batter also lauded Fakhar Zaman’s contributions and recognized the bowling prowess of Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf, while acknowledging Mohammad Rizwan’s valuable leadership as both a captain and a wicketkeeper-batter.

“Pakistan being at home, being the defending champions, there will be high expectations,” Sarfaraz admitted. “The fans will get behind them, but there is pressure.”

He pointed out the competition’s intense nature, mentioning the strong contenders such as Afghanistan, Australia, and India, recognizing their formidable spin attacks.

Sarfaraz predicted Pakistan, India, Australia, and Afghanistan as his frontrunners for the semi-finals, yet cautioned against writing off any participant.

Looking ahead, Sarfaraz highlighted the anticipation surrounding the high-stakes encounter between Pakistan and India on February 23 in Dubai, calling it “a special occasion” despite its inherent pressure.

(IANS)