Pakistan cricketer Iftikhar Ahmed has voiced his frustration with the country’s media, accusing journalists of creating an unhealthy atmosphere in Pakistan cricket by hyping players after just one or two good performances.
Iftikhar Ahmed’s comments came during the post-match press conference of the Champions One-Day Cup final between Markhors and Panthers, in which he was critical of the way the media elevates players prematurely, only to turn on them when they underperform. He said,
I want to tell you media guys, please don’t hype players after one good inning. Let them prove their worth in domestic cricket. Let them top the charts in domestic cricket for two to three seasons, then speak about bringing them into the Pakistan team.
The 33-year-old batsman, who captained the Markhors in Rizwan’s absence during the final, went on to emphasize the importance of sustained performance in domestic cricket. “You hype someone after one innings, and then when they fail for Pakistan, you start questioning their selection. For God’s sake, let a player top in all three formats before talking about them. You guys start saying we’ve found the new Inzamam-ul-Haq and things like that,” he added.
Iftikhar Ahmed struck a chord with many fans online. Netizens took to social media to back his viewpoint, agreeing that the media often creates unnecessary pressure on young players. One fan highlighted the example of Abdul Sammad, a young player who was heavily hyped after a strong start in the Champions One-Day Cup, but struggled in subsequent matches.
“You can have differences with Iftikhar (the player), but whatever he said is 100% true. Abdul Sammad is a prime example. He was hyped so much after his first game, but then managed to get only one decent score in the next five games. Let someone play two or three seasons first,” a Twitter user posted.