Iftikhar Ahmed: “As ever, our top order including Rizwan, Babar, Imam, Fakhar, they have always performed well”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Iftikhar Ahmed, the Pakistan power-hitter, said the batting quartet of Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have been performing well.
All four of them have been key members of the Pakistan squad, while Iftikhar seems to have secured his spot as the team’s g0-to big-hitter.
He recently made 122 runs in two ODIs against New Zealand, including a top score of 94 not out, at an average of 122 and a strike-rate of 129.78.
“As ever, our top order including Rizwan, Babar, Imam, Fakhar, they have always performed well and then we get few overs to bat,” the 32-year-old from Peshawar said in an interview posted by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as quoted by Cricwick.
Iftikhar was not part of the Pakistan side that defeated Sri Lanka 2-0 in a two-match Test series. During that time, he played for the Surrey Jaguars in the Global T20 Canada before representing the Colombo Strikers in the Lanka Premier League (LPL).
Iftikhar has been picked for the ongoing three-match ODI series against Afghanistan, which is being held in Sri Lanka.
After this, the men in green will be involved 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:Â 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