Iftikhar Ahmed: “My job is to finish things off”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Iftikhar Ahmed, the Pakistan big-hitting batsman, said his job in the team is to “finish things off” towards the end of the innings.
The 32-year-old has been utilised more often by the men in green in T20Is and ODIs due to his impressive ability to score quick runs.
In May 2023, he accumulated 122 runs in two ODIs against New Zealand, which included a top score of 94 not out, at an average of 122 and a strike-rate of 129.78.
“My job is to finish things off,” he said in an interview posted by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as quoted by Cricwick.
Since Iftikhar was not picked for Pakistan’s two-Test series against Sri Lanka, which they won 2-0, he played for the Surrey Jaguars in the Global T20 Canada and the Colombo Strikers in the Lanka Premier League (LPL).
He is now playing for Pakistan in their three-match ODI series against Afghanistan, which is being held in Sri Lanka.
Following this, the men in green will be in action in the Asia Cup, which will take place in Pakistan and Sri Lanka from August 30 to September 17.
Pakistan Squad for Afghanistan ODI Series and 2023 Asia Cup: Babar Azam (capt), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Saud Shakeel (Afghanistan series only), Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Tayyab Tahir, Mohammad Haris (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr