Watch: 'Frustrated' Iftikhar Ahmed calls himself 'tailender' in fiery rant against Babar Azam & Co.
Pakistan cricket team is going through its worst times currently. The team does not seem happy with the management and there have been reports of the players having internal disputes within the team.
Recently, a video of Iftikhar Ahmed has gone viral in which the cricketer can be heard taking a dig at Pakistan's white-ball captain Babar Azam, and the team management. In the video, Iftikhar Ahmed can be heard calling himself a tailender rather than an allrounder.
Also Read: Watch: Babar Azam shockingly misbehaves with fan ahead of Champions Cup 2024
Iftikhar Ahmed takes a brutal dig at Babar Azam and the Pakistan team management
In the video, a reporter asked Iftikhar Ahmed about Pakistan's mistakes in the middle order. In a shocking response, he called himself a lower-order player and even a tailender rather than a middle-order batter.
Iftikhar further reasoned his claims by saying that he bats at No. 7 or No. 8 rather than No. 4 or No. 5.
"I am not a middle-order player. I am a lower-order player. I am not an allrounder, but a tailender because if you see, I bat at No. 7 or 8. If you see anywhere, an allrounder bats at No. 4 or 5. I play at No. 7 or 8, so I consider myself as a tailender," Iftikhar said.
Chacha is angry with Pak captain and management. pic.twitter.com/pjjxsodU13
— Usama Zafar (@Usama7) September 8, 2024
Iftikhar Ahmed is a capable middle-order batter known to be a good player of spin and an able finisher as well. Alongside his batting, he is a useful offspinner as well and lends balance to the Pakistan team.
Iftikhar Ahmed's performance in T20 World Cup 2024
It was highly unexpected for Iftikhar Ahmed to make such statements but it tells the current state of Pakistan cricket. Iftikhar Ahmed was a part of Pakistan's T20 World Cup 2024 team that failed to go past the group stage and crashed out of the first round under Babar Azam's captaincy.
After failing to qualify for the Super Eight stage, the team was brutally scrutinized for its poor performance. Pakistan even lost to a lower-ranked team like the USA in the tournament. Eventually, it was India and the USA who qualified for Super Eights from Group A while Pakistan were knocked out.
Out of the four matches played by Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2024, Iftikhar Ahmed played just the first two matches against the USA and India and was dropped for the last two. He had poor returns as he scored 23 runs in 2 matches at an average of 11.50 and a strike rate of 100. He did not pick up any wicket with the ball either. In both the matches, he batted at No. 7.
Pakistan's next white-ball series is in November when they will tour Australia for three ODIs and three T20Is. Currently, Babar Azam's captaincy is also under the scanner after Pakistan's recent performances under his leadership. It also remains to be seen if Iftikhar Ahmed will keep his spot in the team after having made such statements.
