The 32-year-old Sarfaraz had been drawing flak from all quarters after the team's dismal performance in the 2019 ICC World Cup. The ever growing call to sack Sarfaraz went to another level after hosts Pakistan were recently upset by a young Sri Lankan team in a 3-match T20I series played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Pakistan, being ICC’s number-one ranked T20I team, was expected to steam roll over the visiting Lankan team, who were devoid of some of their mainstays in Angelo Matthews and Dinesh Chandimal. However, the home team were inflicted an embarrassing series whitewash and were outplayed every time while chasing down targets. Sarfaraz’s own performance in all departments was below par by any stretch of the imagination.
Misbah-ul-Haq, the head coach-cum-selector, who took over after the mega event, wasn’t happy with Sarfaraz by any means. It was learned that he was unhappy with Sarfaraz’s approach of shying away from responsibilities in the hour of need. It was also known that Misbah had a chat with the PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan and expressed his displeasure over the wicket-keeper.
Under Sarfaraz Ahmed's captaincy, Pakistan won the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy and rose to the very top of the T20I rankings, but the tough call from their cricket board comes in the aftermath of the team's home series defeat to a severely-depleted Sri Lanka in T20Is.