Iftikhar Ahmed Says He’s a “Tailender,” Not an All-Rounder
Pakistani crick Iftikhar Ahmed has stirred up some talk about his role in the national team. He’s calling himself a “tailender” instead of an all-rounder or a middle-order batter. This comes just as he gets ready to play for Team Wolves in the Champions One-Day Cup, led by Mohammad Rizwan.
Iftikhar’s always been seen as a batting all-rounder. People know him for stepping up with both bat & ball in the lower middle order. But, he hasn’t always met fans’ expectations. A lot of folks think he hasn’t done enough to win matches consistently, and they’ve voiced their opinions too.
Recently, in a video that went viral
a reporter called Iftikhar a middle-order batter, which seemed to annoy him. He fired back, saying, “I’m not a middle-order batter; I’m a lower order batter. I’m not an all-rounder; I’m a tailender.” He explained further, “If you look closely, I bat at No. 7 or 8. All-rounders & middle-order batters usually bat at No. 4 or 5. But me? I play at No. 7 and 8, so I think of myself as a tailender.”
His commentsreally show how he views his position on the team. Throughout his international career, Iftikhar has batted in different spots. In T20 Internationals (T20Is), he’s had 55 innings with 25 at No. 5, 11 at No. 7, and 10 at No. 6. In One-Day Internationals (ODIs), he’s batted 16 times at No. 5 and five times at No. 7. Even though his Test career has been short, it follows the same pattern with five innings at No. 6 and one at No. 7.
Iftikhar Ahmed’s words shed light on how roles & positions can get mixed up in cricket. His honest opinions provide fresh insight into how he sees himself and spark further discussion about player roles & expectations in today’s game.