"I think this is my best hundred" - Sarfaraz Ahmed on his courageous knock against New Zealand on day five of second Test

Pakistan keeper-batter Sarfaraz Ahmed rated his fighting hundred in Karachi against New Zealand on day five of the second Test as his best knock. The 35-year-old said that he never stopped putting in the effort despite being out of the team for a long time.

Sarfaraz returned to the Test side for the first time in over four years after the management dropped Mohammad Rizwan following a poor series against England. The Karachi-born batter ended up as Pakistan's crisis man throughout the series and was the highest run-getter from either side, bagging 335 runs in four innings at 83.75.

At the post-match presentation, Ahmed said that batting in the fourth innings is never easy in any conditions. The veteran batter said that his goal was always to keep giving in the performances and believe in fate for getting another chance. He said:

"Definitely I have more hundreds, but this was a fourth-innings hundred, and in the fourth innings, it is not easy to bat anywhere in the world. So I think this is my best hundred.

I have been there with the team for four years, and unfortunately, I did not get a chance, but whatever cricket came my way, my effort was to keep playing my game and keep giving performances, and if Allah wants, then I would get an opportunity, and I did get an opportunity."

With Pakistan reeling at 80-5, Sarfaraz scored an attacking hundred to defy the visiting bowlers, sharing a significant partnership of 150 with Saud Shakeel. With the hometown lad departing for 118 in the closing minutes of the day, the final wicket pair held fort before bad light stopped play.

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"If you have form and fitness, you can play until you are 40 or even 42" - Sarfaraz Ahmed

Sarfaraz Ahmed (Image Credits: Twitter)

Sarfaraz Ahmed also thanked Babar Azam and Shahid Afridi for giving him the opportunity, saying that age is never a factor.

Speaking about the team's captaincy, the veteran said that he will support Babar Azam as long as he holds the role. He said in the post-match press conference:

"Changes happened in the selection committee, and I got my opportunity. Shahid bhai called me and said I would be playing. I think your ability to play at the highest level depends on two things, form and fitness.

If you have form and fitness, then definitely, you can play until you are 40 or even 42. You asked me about captaincy; see, at this time, Babar Azam is the captain; till the time he is captain, it's our responsibility to support him fully."

The two teams will now focus on the three-match ODI series, which starts on January 9.