Sarfaraz Ahmed named mentor of Dolphins for Champions Cup

The Dolphins will begin their campaign on September 14 against Saqlain Mushtaq’s Panthers

PHOTO: PCB

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced today that two-time ICC event winner Sarfaraz Ahmed will serve as the mentor for the Dolphins team, which will be based at the Hanif Mohammad High Performance Centre in Karachi.

The Dolphins are one of the five teams set to compete in the highly anticipated Champions One-Day Cup, scheduled to take place in Faisalabad from September 12 to 29.

Sarfaraz Ahmed, a celebrated figure in Pakistan cricket, has an impressive track record. He captained Pakistan to victory in the ICC U19 World Cup in 2006 and the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017. He was also part of the national team that secured the ACC Asia Cup in 2012. Under his leadership, Pakistan reached the top spot in the ICC T20I Team Rankings.

Notably, Sarfaraz became the first Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter to score a century in a World Cup match, achieving this milestone against Ireland in Adelaide in 2015. He holds the record for the most dismissals in an ODI (six catches) and is the second wicketkeeper in history to captain his side in over 50 ODIs. With over 2,000 runs and 100 dismissals, Sarfaraz ranks 17th on the ODI wicket-keepers' list. His experience spans two 50-over World Cups and one T20 World Cup.

The Dolphins will begin their campaign on September 14 against Saqlain Mushtaq’s Panthers. They will subsequently face Misbah-ul-Haq’s Wolves on September 17, Shoaib Malik’s Stallions on September 19, and Waqar Younis’ Lions on September 22.

The Champions One-Day Cup will showcase the country’s top 150 cricketers in a 50-over format, played on a single-league basis. Most matches, except the Lions vs. Panthers clash on September 16, will start at 3 PM, with the Lions vs. Panthers game commencing at 9:30 AM. The tournament will feature three playoffs within four days, culminating in the final on Sunday, September 29.

“Mentoring a highly-rated Dolphins side in what promises to be a keenly contested and hard-fought tournament is something I’m eagerly looking forward to. This will be a new experience for me and I’m excited about the opportunity to learn and further develop my skills as a cricket professional.

“What makes this role even more exciting and challenging is that I will also be participating in the tournament as a player. While my passion and drive to win each match remain as strong as ever, my role will also involve supporting and assisting the captain, players, and coaching staff to enhance their skills and become better players.

“I am fully committed to this role and am eager to make a meaningful contribution to the Dolphins side, with whom I have been involved in some of the most memorable matches. These include the last-over loss to the Stallions in the 2007/08 T20 Cup final, a 78-run victory over the Bears in the 2009/10 Pentangular One-Day Cup final and a 37-run loss to the Lions in the 2010/11 T20 Cup final.

“With the country’s best players and top-notch coaches under the watchful eyes of experienced former stalwarts as mentors, I am confident that this Champions One-Day Cup will exceed the expectations of the Pakistan Cricket Board and the passionate Pakistan cricket fans, whose unwavering support is always crucial. I believe all players will deliver their best performances, making this tournament an overwhelming success.”

Schedule of the Dolphins matches (all matches will begin at 3pm):