‘All-rounder nahi tailender hoon’: Iftikhar Ahmed’s pointed remark on his role in Pakistan team – Watch | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Pakistan all-rounder Iftikhar Ahmed had a seemingly sarcastic response to a reporter’s question during a media interaction ahead of the Champions One Day Cup. The 34-year-old, who has frequently been moved around the batting order in both T20Is and ODIs, referred to himself as a “tailender,” suggesting frustration with his shifting role in the team.
Iftikhar has mostly batted at No.5 to No. 7 in his 66 T20Is.
Expressing his thoughts on his role, he said: “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.”
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His remarks seem to reflect dissatisfaction with his assignment in Pakistan’s lineup.
Iftikhar has faced challenges with his form in recent months. His last half-century for Pakistan was in August 2023 against Nepal during the Asia Cup. Despite his experience, he has struggled to find consistency at the international level, particularly with the bat.
In his T20I career, Iftikhar has scored 998 runs at an average of 24.34 and a strike rate of 129.10, including four half-centuries. In ODIs, he has amassed 614 runs across 28 matches, averaging 38.37 with a strike rate of 106.59, with one century and one fifty to his name.
Primarily known for his power-hitting and off-spin, Iftikhar’s statement suggests that his current role does not align with his self-perception of his batting and playing potential. His candid comments highlight his dissatisfaction with his batting order, indicating that he may feel underutilized or misplaced in the team’s strategy.
The Pakistan team management‘s decision to frequently move Iftikhar around the order might be an attempt to leverage his skills in different match situations. However, it appears that Iftikhar himself is not content with this approach, as seen from his latest statements.