Sarfraz pinning hopes on Hafeez, Iftikhar

MULTAN: Quetta Gladia­tors captain Sarfraz Ahmed is pinning hopes on former Pakis­tan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez and hitter Iftikhar Ahmed as their team get ready to play their HBL PSL opener against Multan Sultans here at the Multan Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

“Hafeez is an experienced Twenty20 player who has strengthened the team’s prospects [after the former test cricketer joined Quetta Gladiators],” former Pakis­tan skipper Sarfraz said while addressing a news conference after participating in a practice session here on Tuesday.

The 35-year-old Sarfraz recalled that Hafeez was declared man-of-the-match in the PSL final of the seventh edition, adding hard-hitting batter Iftikhar had been in tremendous form with the willow for the last nine months in the game’s shortest format.

Sarfraz, who led Pakistan to a resounding 180-run triumph in the 2017 ICC Cham­pions Trophy final against archrivals India at The Oval, hoped the crowd would witness a thrilling match between Quetta and Multan, adding his team was fully prepared for their tournament opener.

Quetta under Sarfraz won their only PSL title in 2019 beating Peshawar Zalmi in the final at the National Stadium, Karachi.