Tailender or all-rounder? Iftikhar Ahmed's remark highlights confusion on his role in Pakistan team

Iftikhar Ahmed's remark points at confusion of roles in Pakistan's batting line-up. (Image: X Videograb)

Pakistan all-rounder Iftikhar Ahmed gave what appeared to be a sarcastic reply to a reporter's question during a media interaction ahead of the Champions One Day Cup. The 34-year-old, who has often been shuffled around the batting order in both T20Is and ODIs, referred to himself as a "tailender," reflecting his frustration with his fluctuating role in the team. Iftikhar has mostly batted between No. 5 and No. 7 in his 66 T20I appearances.

Expressing his thoughts on his role, he said: "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."

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September 8, 2024

His comments seem to reflect dissatisfaction with his current position in Pakistan's lineup.

Iftikhar has faced challenges with his form in recent months. His last half-century for Pakistan was in August 2023 against Nepal during the Asia Cup. Despite his experience, he has struggled to achieve consistency at the international level, especially 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 accumulated 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 remarks suggest 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 he may feel underutilised 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 maximise his skills in various match situations. However, it seems that Iftikhar himself is not content with this approach, as reflected in his recent statements.