Sarfaraz Ahmed on Monday scripted history as he amassed 3,000 Test runs and became the first Pakistani wicketkeeper to achieve the feat.
Sarfaraz, the former Pakistan skipper, achieved the feat during Pakistan’s first Test of the two-match series against hosts Sri Lanka at Galle on Monday.
During the first innings of the ongoing first Test of the series against the islanders, Sarfaraz smashed a boundary to achieve the milestone in 91 innings. He is now the 20th Pakistani batter to score more than 3000 runs in the longer format of the game. As a wicketkeeper batter, he is however, the first Pakistani to achieve the feat.
Overall, Sarfaraz, who made his Test debut in 2010 against Australia in Hobart, had slammed 21 fifties and four centuries in his career. His last Test ton came against New Zealand earlier this year and the century also helped Pakistan draw the second Test against the Kiwis in Karachi.
In the ongoing Test against Sri Lanka, Sarfaraz could only manage to score 17 runs off 15 balls before he was dismissed 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 had silenced his critics by taking four crucial catches as he was massively criticised for poor glovework behind in Pakistan’s last Test against New Zealand in Karachi earlier in January this year.
Despite saving the second Test by scoring a hundred, Sarfaraz was heavily criticised for dropping catches and missing stump chances.
His selection in the ongoing Test was also questioned by cricket pundits, who felt that Mohammad Rizwan could have been a better choice in terms of wicketkeeping.
However, Sarfaraz proved his critics wrong as he took three catches on the first day and another catch on day two to give a befitting reply to his critics.