PSL 2021: "Sarfaraz Ahmed should open or bat at No. 3" - Moin Khan
Sarfaraz Ahmed
Quetta Gladiators head coach Moin Khan believes captain Sarfaraz Ahmed should bat at the top of the order to bolster the team's batting line-up.
Quetta Gladiators failed to qualify for PSL 2021 playoffs, winning only two of their nine games. Sarfaraz Ahmed scored 270 runs at a strike rate of 135 while batting in the middle-order
In an interview with Cricket Pakistan, Moin suggested Sarfaraz should move up the order and either open or bat one-down.
“I think Sarfaraz Ahmed should promote himself. I have always felt that he should bat at No. 3 or open the innings. If a wicketkeeper-batsman can bat up the order, like Mohammad Rizwan is doing (for Pakistan), it opens up a spot to include an extra player. We only had three or four genuine batsmen, and the ones who were there could not perform. Players will need to develop a performance-based approach.”
Asked to evaluate Sarfaraz Ahmed’s performance in PSL 2021, the Quetta Gladiators’ head coach said the former Pakistan captain did not live up to expectations. Moin, however, admitted the lack of a supporting cast made life difficult for the skipper.
“Sarfaraz Ahmed could not perform as well. We depend a lot on him as he is the captain. Sarfaraz tried his best and played a few good knocks. But yes, there were no extraordinary knocks that we expected of him.
"However, he did not get any support as well, so he was constantly under pressure. While Sarfaraz Ahmed could not live up to expectations, there are no doubts about his skills and talent. But, when the team is under-performing, it becomes very difficult for the captain as well.”
Youngsters must respect seniors: Moin Khan on Shaheen Afridi’s spat with Sarfaraz Ahmed
During the interaction, Moin also weighed in on the altercation between Lahore Qalandars pacer Shaheen Afridi and Sarfaraz Ahmed. According to the Quetta Gladiators’ head coach, youngsters need to treat senior players with respect.
“It (the incident) happened in the heat of the moment. Youngsters must respect senior players. Sarfaraz is a former captain. The incident actually was not related to Shaheen Afridi’s bowling. He was fielding at mid-off and saying some things that Sarfaraz did not like.
"He even complained to the umpire about it. If fast bowlers are running in and looking the batsmen in the eye, that aggression is understandable. There are ups and downs in cricket, so it is important to maintain respect among colleagues. Otherwise, they will get the same treatment from youngsters when they become seniors.”
Quetta Gladiators will take on Karachi Kings in their last league game of PSL 2021 on Saturday.