Sarfaraz Ahmed fumes as Hafeez calls Mohammad Rizwan Pakistan's no1 wicket-keeper/batsman

Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Rizwan's recent century in a T20 game has triggered the debate around who is the number 1 wicketkeeper-batsman in the country. It all began when veteran all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez praised Rizwan on Thursday for his century and asked how long he needs to prove that he is Pakistan's number 1 wicketkeeper/batsman in all formats.

'Wonder how long u need to prove...'

The congratulatory tweet did not go down well with former skipper and wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed who has found it difficult to manage his place in the playing XI for a while now. In a series of tweets on Friday early morning, Sarfaraz responded to Hafeez saying that whoever has played for Pakistan from Imtiaz Ahmed, Wasim Bari, Tasleem Arif to Saleem Yousuf and from Moin Khan, Rashid Latif to Kamran Akmal and even Rizwan right now "has always been number ONE for the country and have been respected accordingly." Sarfaraz, however, did not include his name in the list.

'We expect nothing but positiveness...'

Sarfaraz Ahmed noted that everyone is behind Rizwan and wished he plays many more amazing innings for Pakistan. "Aur ayende bhee jisko bhee chance milega wo Pakistan ke liye number ONE hee huga. (And whoever is given a chance to play would be no 1 for Pakistan)." He also asked Hafeez to not create divisions. "We expect nothing but positiveness coming from an international player who has played so many games for Pakistan."

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Mohammad Amir replied to Sarfaraz Ahmed's tweets and said that he is also a "number 1 wicketkeeper-batsman" in Pakistan and under his captaincy, the team won the Champions Trophy and remained the highest-ranked T20 team for two years. 

Mohammad Rizwan smashed a maiden T20 century with seven sixes as Pakistan beat South Africa by three runs in the first Twenty20 international on Thursday. Rizwan's unbeaten 104 off 64 balls anchored the home team to 169-6 after Heinrich Klaasen won the toss and elected to field. In the process, Rizwan became only the second Pakistani to score a hundred in all three formats. 

An inexperienced South Africa, without its frontline T20 regulars including skipper Quinton de Kock, put up a hard fight with Reeza Hendricks making 54 and Janneman Malan making 44 off 29 balls before being restricted at 166-6.

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