If international teams can play in England despite all the issues they should also come to Pakistan to play cricket, captain Sarfraz Ahmed said at a gathering held in his honour at Karachi Press Club on Thursday.

"It would be difficult to replace Misbah and Younis," Ahmed accepted, but said that he hopes batsmen like Azhar Ali, Babar Azam, and Asad Shafiq will step up for the team.

"Test captaincy is a challenge but things will get easier with time," he said.

The team has developed a combination of senior and junior players and seniors cannot simply be pushed out if some juniors are performing well, Sarfaraz said. "You need your senior players in pressure situations to guide the team."

Sarfraz also took the opportunity to thank mentors especially Azam Khan for his services for cricket in Karachi.

Things are improving for Pakistan cricket and we will try to make the most of this gap in international cricket, he added.

"Pakistan cricket has lost a lot owing to an absence of international cricket, and it is time for international teams to recognise us," he said. "We have not played cricket at home for the past nine years," Ahmed said adding that despite home-like conditions in UAE, playing at home is a different experience.

He also expressed hope that after events like the arrival of "Ronaldinho and friends", international cricket teams will also visit Pakistan.