Vice-captain Sarfraz Ahmed ‘together with Azhar Ali’ vows to take Pakistan forward

Sarfraz Ahmed bats against South Africa during the cricket World Cup in March 2015. Nigel Marple/ Reuters

LAHORE // Pakistan’s fast-rising wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed vowed to take the new-look side to the next level after his elevation to the one-day and Twenty20 vice-captaincy.

Under new one-day captain Azhar Ali, Pakistan hope for a fresh start when they start their Bangladesh tour next week following the retirement of stalwarts Misbah-ul-Haq and Shahid Afridi from 50-over cricket.

“I take my appointment as vice-captain as a good opportunity and an honour,” Sarfraz said in Lahore. “Azhar is a good friend of mine and together we will take the team forward.”

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Sarfraz, 27, was one of Pakistan’s key performers in their World Cup campaign, hitting an attractive 49 and equalling the ODI world record of six catches behind the stumps against South Africa in Auckland.

He then hit Pakistan’s only World Cup hundred — against Ireland — to help them through to the quarter-finals, where they lost to Australia.

He was surprisingly not played in the first four matches, a ploy widely criticised in Pakistani media.

Misbah and Afridi, who between them clocked up 560 ODIs, retired from the format after the World Cup, but Sarfraz backed younger players to take their place.

“They were the backbones of the team, but I am sure the players who replace them will do their best to fill their places,” Sarfraz said.

Sarfraz also said that Bangladesh will not be taken lightly.

“Bangladesh has been performing well,” he said of the team who beat higher-ranked England to reach the quarter-finals, where they lost to India.

“They always play well at home so we will not take them lightly and give our best performance.”

Pakistan will fly out on Monday and play the first of three one-dayers in Dhaka on April 17. They also face Bangladesh in a Twenty20 and two Tests.

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