Pakistan all-rounder Iftikhar Ahmed recently made a sarcastic remark during a media interaction when referred to as a “middle-order player.” With a grin, Iftikhar quipped that he sees himself as a “tailender” rather than a middle-order batter or all-rounder. His response seems to hint at his fluctuating role in Pakistan’s batting lineup.
Iftikhar, who has batted mostly between No. 5 and No. 8 in both T20Is and ODIs, expressed his frustration about being slotted lower in the order.
Iftikhar Ahmed said
He humorously noted, “I am not a middle-order batter, I am a lower-order batter. I am not an all-rounder, I am a tailender. If you see, I bat at No. 7 or 8. And if you look at the all-rounders and middle-order batters around the world, you’d see they bat at No. 4 or 5. But I play at No. 7 and 8, and I think of myself as a tailender.”
The 34-year-old cricketer has been in poor form this year, with an average of just 15.33 in international cricket in 2024. His last notable performance was a century against Nepal during the Asia Cup in August 2023, where his unbeaten 109* helped Pakistan secure a comfortable win.
Despite this, Iftikhar has struggled to regain form and will be looking to make an impact in Pakistan’s Champions One-Day Cup, where he will play for the Wolves under Mohammad Rizwan‘s leadership.
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