Quetta Gladiators’ Director and former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed has hinted at the possibility of making a comeback in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) if given the opportunity.
In an exclusive interview with a cricket website, Sarfaraz reflected on Quetta Gladiators’ previous season, stating that while the team performed well and qualified for the playoffs, they were unable to progress further. However, he believes that this season’s squad is stronger and has more firepower.
“Last year, our performance was good as we managed to qualify for the playoffs, but unfortunately, we couldn’t advance further. This season, the team is more balanced and has additional firepower,” he said.
He praised the recent performances of Finn Allen and Hassan Nawaz and highlighted the presence of Mark Chapman, Sean Abbott, and Faheem Ashraf in the squad.
“If you look at Chapman’s performance in New Zealand over the last two to three years, it has been excellent. He is also familiar with Pakistani conditions as he has toured here for the past three years,” Sarfaraz noted.
Speaking about his love for cricket, Sarfaraz admitted that it is difficult for someone who has played all his life to stay away from the game.
“Cricket is a passion that never fades. Someone who has played the sport for so long finds it challenging to stay away. Although I am currently serving as the team director for Quetta Gladiators, my heart still beats for cricket. If given the opportunity, I could be seen in PSL action once again,” he said.
Sarfaraz clarified that he has not yet retired from cricket and still aims to play for Pakistan.
“I haven’t announced my retirement yet. When a player is away from the game, it naturally feels disappointing. However, every cricketer has to step away at some point. Until that moment arrives, I want to play as much cricket as possible and perform at my best. When I feel the right time has come, I will announce my decision,” he added.
Regarding the criticism over receiving a high salary as a mentor from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Sarfaraz responded that judgments should be based on work and performance rather than personal opinions.
“I have always maintained that criticism should be directed at performance. People should evaluate a person based on their work rather than unnecessary speculation. Unfortunately, we tend to focus on the wrong aspects,” he concluded.
The former captain led Pakistan to two International Cricket Council (ICC) trophies during his career.
He is most famous for captaining Pakistan to win the Champions Trophy, but one of his victories often goes unnoticed: leading Pakistan’s junior team to the ICC Under-19 World Cup in 2006, where they lifted the trophy. The opponent in that crucial match was India.
Pakistan won the ICC Champions Trophy for the second time under his leadership in 2017, claiming the title for the first time.
