Pakistan’s white-ball specialist Iftikhar Ahmed has voiced his dissatisfaction with being consistently deployed as low as number 7 or 8 in recent limited-overs matches for the national team. In a candid interaction with the media during the Champions Cup tournament, Iftikhar asserted that he doesn’t consider himself a middle-order batter, but rather a true tailender.
He emphasized his position within the batting order, highlighting that while many all-rounders and middle-order batters bat at positions like number 4 or 5, he is consistently placed at number 7 and 8, reinforcing his perception of himself as a lower-order batsman.
At 34 years old, Iftikhar, who boasts four Test appearances, 28 ODIs, and 66 T20Is, has faced a period of inconsistency in recent international fixtures and struggled during this year’s T20 Cup. Consequently, his utility to the team has been questioned by critics, particularly given the emergence of promising younger players.
His T20I career statistics reveal a pattern of batting frequently at positions beyond number 5, with 25 innings at that position, 11 at number 7, and 10 at number 6. Similarly, in ODIs, out of his 24 innings, 16 have been at number 6.
Despite the challenges, Iftikhar remains resolute and is determined to make a significant impact in the Champions Cup. He firmly believes that he still has much to offer the national team and is eager to prove his worth. He expressed confidence in his team’s quality and predicted a resurgence in white-ball performances, particularly ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan.
