Follow UsFormer Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed has opened up about his then three-month-old son’s viral picture with former India skipper MS Dhoni ahead of the 2017 Champions Trophy in England. Under Sarfaraz’s captaincy, Pakistan humiliated India in the final of the 2017 Champions Trophy.
Sarfaraz has a lot of respect for Dhoni, who won every major ICC title as captain, and also opened up about a “long conversation” he had with MSD after the final.
“The moment happened when his family friends were visiting, and Dhoni happened to come downstairs. He thought it would be a perfect opportunity to capture the moment with his three-month-old son,” Sarfaraz told Cricket Pakistan.
“I had a long conversation with Dhoni about wicketkeeping and cricket in general. I asked him how he managed to balance his roles as a wicketkeeper, batsman, and captain. The tips Dhoni shared with me were immensely helpful. He was very humble and generous in offering his advice.”
Talking about the relationship between India and Pakistan players, Sarfaraz added: “While the lack of bilateral series has affected interactions to some extent, the matches that do take place, especially back-to-back encounters, have led to improved relations.
“Whenever Indian and Pakistani players meet, there is always mutual respect and friendship, after matches it’s not uncommon to see players like Shoaib Malik, Yuvraj Singh, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, and others sitting together, chatting and enjoying each other’s company.”
India will commence their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign against Bangladesh on February 20, while Pakistan will be involved in the tournament opener against New Zealand on February 19. The two will then collide against each other on February 23 in Dubai.