"I am not an all-rounder, I am a tailender" - Iftikhar Ahmed's sarcastic response to reporter calling him 'middle-order player'

Pakistan batting all-rounder Iftikhar Ahmed had a seemingly sarcastic response to a reporter calling him a 'middle-order player' by referring to himself as a 'tailender'. While not completely clear, Iftikhar may have taken a shot at his Pakistan role, considering his varying positions in the batting order.

In 66 T20I appearances for Pakistan, the 34-year-old has predominantly batted from No. 5 to 7, including a lone stint at No. 8. Iftikhar has suffered a similar fate in ODIs with most of his batting coming at No. 6 and 7.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the Champions One Day Cup (Pakistan's domestic competition), Iftikhar called himself a tailender and not a middle-order batter.

"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."

Iftikhar has been in dismal form lately, with his last half-century for Pakistan coming over a year back.

The veteran cricketer has averaged a paltry 15.33 in international cricket this year, including enduring a disappointing 2024 T20 World Cup campaign.

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When did Iftikhar Ahmed last score a half-century for Pakistan?

Iftikhar Ahmed last made a 50-plus score in the Asia Cup opener against Nepal in August 2023.

Pakistan were reeling at 124/4 in the 28th over when Iftikhar walked in to join the then-skipper Babar Azam. The 34-year-old produced arguably his best knock in international cricket, scoring his lone century of 109* off 71 deliveries. His heroics helped Pakistan post a massive 342/6 and win by 238 runs.

Despite that incredible knock, Iftikhar has predominantly batted at No. 6 and 7 since, with his last stint above No. 5 coming against India in the 2022 T20 World Cup.

Iftikhar will be part of the Wolves captained by Mohammad Rizwan in the upcoming Champions One-Day Cup, starting Thursday, September 12.