Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) retained Sarfaraz Ahmed as national team's captain in the 50-over format for the upcoming home series against Sri Lanka. In addition, Babar Azam has been appointed as skipper in shortest format of the game. Many experts have opined to remove Sarfaraz as skipper, following Pakistan's dismal performance in the World Cup 2019. After the harrowing World Cup exit, Pakistan fans were so upset with their team's performance that they didn't refrain from abuse while criticising Sarfaraz and even body-shamed him for being so lousy and careless behind the stumps, especially during their humiliating loss vs India.

With fans and former cricketers wanting Ahmed to quit captaincy, former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has advised current skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed to give up Test captaincy and focus on ODI and T20Is.

"It is a correct decision to appoint Sarfaraz as skipper in One-Day Internationals (ODIs)," cricketpakistan.com.pk quoted Afridi as saying.

"Sarfaraz should have been removed as Test captain after the South Africa tour as it is a difficult challenge to lead the side in three formats.

"I had advised Sarfaraz to leave Test cricket after the South Africa tour irrespective of the result, but he didn't listen," he added.

Earlier, former Pakistan greats Zaheer Abbas and Mohsin Khan had also expressed that Sarfaraz Ahmed should relinquish captaincy in the longest format of the game and his only focus should be on white-ball cricket

After uncertainties over Sri Lanka's tour of Pakistan, it has finally been officially announced that the Lankan Lions will tour Pakistan to play three ODIs  and as many T20Is, with the first ODI slated to take place in Karachi on September 27.