Sarfaraz Ahmed appointed mentor for Dolphins ahead of journey with the champions one-day cup
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday confirmed two-time ICC event winner Sarfaraz Ahmed as the mentor for the Hanif Mohammad High-Performance Centre-aligned side, Dolphins. This is a massive boost to the Dolphins, who face a Champions One-Day Cup in Bloemfontein on Sunday.
The Dolphins, meanwhile challenge for the Champions One-Day Cup in Faisalabad between 12 and 29 September. Starting on September 14, they face Saqlain Mushtaq’s Panthers first up. After that they would take on Wolves, led by Misbah-ul-Haq (September 17) and then face Stallions lead by Shoaib Malik (September 19).Assistant CoachS Himayatullah is glad about the team, he said“We have gathered players with big names who know how to win matches.
Sarfaraz Ahmed — A celebrated cricketer for his leadership and wicketkeeping experience, he adds so much value to a Dolphins outfit. He led Pakistan to ICC U19 World Cup 2006 and the entire world into an ICC Champions Trophy title in 2017. Also, he was a significant figure in the Pakistan squad that lifted the ACC Asia Cup 2012 and took his country to number one on ICC T20I Team Rankings.
Sarfaraz also made headlines by becoming the first Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman to score a hundred in World Cup history against Ireland at Adelaide, 2015. He has the biggest catching record in ODI at six and one of two wicketkeepers to captain 50 or more ODIs. Sarfaraz, who is 17th on the list of most runs and dismissals by an ODI wicketkeeper – with him having aggregated more than 2000 runs in addition to effecting as many as a hundred dismissals, has played two World Cup fifty-over tournaments (2015 & ’19) besides one T20 WC.
New roleSarfaraz said: “I’m looking forward to the new challenge of mentoring the Dolphins in this year’s Champions One-Day Cup. It will be a new role for me, and I look forward to new learnings as well as becoming an ever-improving cricket professional. My love of winning is as strong as ever, and I hope with the support from my captain, players & coaching staff.
Clark added “This is a great, one-of-a-kind opportunity but it will be BTS being both player and mentor which complicates the role even more. I am dedicated to leaving my mark with the Dolphins and help them get back in a groove. Yes and this is the reason I am so confident that with top players and coaches present, champions one-day cup will succeed leap beyond its expectations as well of PCB or even cricket fans.
DOLPHINS’ FIXTURES:
14 Sep: Dolphins vs. Panthers
17 Sep: Dolphins vs. Wolves
Sep 19: Stallions vs Dolphins
22 Sep: Dolphins vs. Lions