Sarfaraz urges cricket boards to support Pakistan in reviving international cricket

• Pakistan will face Sri Lanka in first ODI on September 27 at National Stadium Karachi.
• Skipper thanked Islanders for visiting the country.
• The 32-year-old also revealed his new batting position.

Pakistan Captain Sarfaraz Ahmed has once again urged the cricketing world to come forward and support the country in reviving international cricket on its home turf.

“Intentional cricket is incomplete without Pakistan,” said the wicketkeeper in a pre-series press conference ahead of Pakistan’s ODIs against Sri Lanka in Karachi.

“Pakistan has delivered a clear message and now it's time for other boards to reconsider their approach towards playing in Pakistan. Being a team and a nation, I request all boards to support cricket in Pakistan,” said Sarfaraz.

The 32-year-old further said it is important that "players who are coming to Pakistan return with great memories as they will be our ambassadors and tell the world that Pakistan is a safe country for cricket."

While talking about series, Pakistani skipper said that the Sri Lankan cricket team cannot be underestimated. “We will not take the series against Sri Lanka lightly. We will try to perform to the best of our capabilities. I will try to perform at the number five spot in the batting order,” said Sarfaraz.

The wicketkeeper-batsman also confirmed that he will bat at number five in the series.

Replying to a question, the captain said that the team management has pretty much decided the playing 11 for the first ODI, however, a final call will be made after having a look at the wicket in morning.

The skipper also ruled out any worry for having Mohammad Rizwan and Umar Akmal in the side at the same time. “Umar Akmal and Mohammad Rizwan are part of the side. I have nothing to worry about. If you are in contact with the senior officials then a captain has nothing to worry about.”

He added: “I will be playing in my city as captain of the national side. The crowd in Karachi supports both sides.”

Coming on the batting friendly track, the skipper said that the Men in Green would try to post a big total. “It is easy to claim that we will score 450 or 500 runs. You need to put in a lot of hard work and a plan to do that. In modern-day cricket, the role of the first three to four batsmen has become very crucial.”

He added: “All those teams scoring 300 plus are able to do so through a set-up under which openers show an exemplary start and the rest of the team carries it (forward). In order to score 400 runs, we need a set-up and we are planning to have it."

All the arrangements are being led by the country's military, with around 2,000 security personnel on alert at the team's hotel and at the ground.

Sri Lankan skipper Lahiru Thirimanne -- captaining the side after regular skipper Dimuth Karunaratne pulled out -- is confident cricket will be in focus.

"SLC (Sri Lanka Cricket) has presented us the security plan which we are getting in Pakistan so I am pretty happy with that and I explained to my family as well, so they don't have a concern," said Thirimanne earlier this week.

The captain said the decision by some of his teammates to pull out of the tour was a "personal matter".

"We still have a good team," he said. "I believe if we play to our potential we can do very well."

Sarfaraz and fast bowler Wahab Riaz are the only Pakistani players who have played a one-day international in Karachi before -- back in 2008.

The remaining ODIs will also be in Karachi on Sunday and Wednesday.

The two teams will also play three Twenty20 internationals — all in Lahore — on October 5, 7 and 9.

Teams:

Pakistan: Sarfaraz Ahmed (captain), Babar Azam (vice-captain), Abid Ali, Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Hasnain, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan, Usman Shinwari, Wahab Riaz.

Sri Lanka: Lahiru Thirimanne (captain), Danushka Gunathilaka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Avishka Fernando, Oshada Fernando, Shehan Jayasuriya, Dasun Shanaka, Minod Bhanuka, Angelo Perera, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lakshan Sandakan, Nuwan Pradeep, Isuru Udana, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara