Pakistani wicketkeeper-batter Sarfaraz Ahmed scored his 3,000 Test runs Monday, becoming the first wicketkeeper of the Men in Green to score as many runs in the long format.
The former skipper of the Green Shirts achieved the feat during Pakistan’s first Test of the two-match series against Sri Lanka at Galle.During the first innings of the ongoing opening Test of two-match series against Sri Lanka in Galle, Sarfaraz scored a boundary to achieve the milestone in 91 innings.
He is the 20th Pakistani batter who has scored 3000+ runs in the longer format of the game. As a wicketkeeper batter, he is the first one from Pakistan to achieve this feat.
Sarfaraz, who made his Test debut in 2010 against Australia in Hobart, scored 21 fifties and four centuries so far in his career.His last century came against New Zealand earlier this year when his team needed his experience the most. Sarfaraz’s century helped Pakistan draw the second Test against the Kiwis in Karachi.
In the ongoing Test against Sri Lanka, Sarfaraz could only score 17 runs off 15 balls. He got LBW while attempting a sweep shot against Prabath Jayasuriya.
At tea, Pakistan were struggling at 132-5 in reply to Sri Lanka’s 312. In the first innings, Sarfaraz impressed his fans and critics by taking four crucial catches.
Sarfaraz was highly criticised for poor work behind the stumps in Pakistan’s last Test against New Zealand in Karachi back in January this year. Despite saving the second Test by scoring a hundred, Sarfaraz remained under the knife for dropping catches and missing stump chances.
His selection in the ongoing Test was also questioned by fans as they thought Mohammad Rizwan was a better choice in terms of wicketkeeping. But Sarfaraz proved his critics wrong.
The wicketkeeper took three catches on day one and a catch on day two to give a befitting reply to his critics.
