In a bold move, seasoned all-rounder, Shoaib Malik, has urged the PCB’s selection committee to consider adding right-hand batter Iftikhar Ahmed to the men’s ODI team.
And it’s not hard to see why. Ahmed was in red-hot form during the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), where he smashed his first T20 century with ease.
But that’s not all. In a recent exhibition match between Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators, the hard-hitting batter went on a rampage, slamming left-arm pacer Wahab Riaz for a whopping six sixes in a single over.
With performances like these, it’s clear that Ahmed could be a game-changer for the Pakistan side. Will the selection committee heed Malik’s advice and add this powerhouse to their ranks? Only time will tell!
Following the thrilling encounter between Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi on Tuesday, the all-rounder took to the press conference to share his thoughts on Iftikhar Ahmed’s potential role in Pakistan’s upcoming ODI side for the 2023 World Cup in India.
Malik said,
Taking advantage of this opportunity, I would like to put forward a request to include Iftikhar Ahmed in Pakistan’s ODI squad. As the ODI World Cup is fast approaching, I have personally witnessed his [Iftikhar] impressive performance and he is currently playing exceptionally well. His batting skills are specifically what we need at that position in ODIs.
The 41-year-old also made it clear that he has no plans to make a comeback to the longer versions of the game and is relishing playing in the shortest format.
My aim is to make it clear that I have retired from Test and ODI cricket and I am solely focused on T20 format. My priority is to perform well in T20s as I am still available to play for Pakistan. Although I have no expectations from anyone, I aspire to score 15,000 runs in T20s before my retirement. I am determined to enjoy my cricket journey until then.
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