Sarfaraz Ahmed had chance to make graceful exit as Pakistan captain but turned down PCB's suggestion, claims source

Karachi: Sacked Sarfaraz Ahmed had the chance to make a graceful exit as Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had advised him to step down as captain in all three formats but the wicketkeeper-batsman turned down the suggestion. [caption id=“attachment_6673461” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Sarfaraz Ahmed. AP[/caption] According to a highly-reliable source, when Sarfaraz met with the PCB CEO Wasim Khan on Friday in Lahore, he was asked to step down having led the national team in all three formats since 2017. “Sarfaraz flatly refused to do this and told Wasim that the board could sack him if they wanted but he would not step down himself,” the PCB source said. The source added Sarfaraz would also not be part of Pakistan’s T20I or Test squads for the Australia tour as head coach-chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq has now decided to give a chance to wicketkeeper-batsman Muhammad Rizwan. The source said Wasim Khan had assured Sarfaraz he could make a comeback to the national team when he regained full form. PCB chairman Ehsan Mani has said that it was a difficult decision to remove Sarfaraz Ahmed as captain in all three formats. In a PCB statement, Mani said that the decision to remove him was taken because of his lack of confidence and poor performance. “The decision was a difficult one but was taken in the best interest of Pakistan cricket,” Mani said.