Pakistan all-rounder Iftikhar Ahmed has expressed frustration over his fluctuating batting position in the team, referring to himself as a “tailender” in a recent media interaction. The 34-year-old has been frequently shuffled around the batting order in both T20Is and ODIs, a situation that seems to have left him dissatisfied.
Iftikhar, who has primarily batted between No. 5 and No. 7 in his 66 T20Is, stated, “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.”
His comments suggest a growing discontent with his role in Pakistan’s lineup. Iftikhar has faced challenges with his form in recent months, with his last half-century for Pakistan coming 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.
