Pakistan’s 2017 Champions Trophy-winning captain, Sarfaraz Ahmed, opened up about the viral photo of MS Dhoni with his son before the final of the tournament between India and Pakistan in England.

Pakistan, headed by Sarfaraz, defeated India in the 2017 Champions Trophy final. The former Pakistan captain also discussed his interaction with the Indian great following the final, which aided his development as a player.

“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.

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,” Sarfaraz Ahmed told Cricket Pakistan.

The former Pakistan captain stated that despite the high-octane game, the players from both teams have mutual respect for one another.

“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,” Sarfaraz added.

India and Pakistan will clash in the Champions Trophy 2025 in Dubai on February 23.