Pakistan’s all-rounder Iftikhar Ahmed is known for making headlines with his blunt comments, however, this time he is going viral for lashing out at journalists after the Champions One-Day Cup final.
After leading the Markhors in the Champions One-Day Cup final, where they fell short against Shadab Khan’s Panthers, Iftikhar let out his frustrations on the media for overhyping young players after just one performance.
Overhyped and Overstressed?
Iftikhar didn’t mince his words and called out the media for jumping the gun on young players. The seasoned cricketer highlighted that calling someone the “next big thing” after one good performance does way more harm than good.
“I want to tell you media guys that please don’t hype players after one good innings,” he said. “Let them prove their worth in domestic cricket. Let them top in domestic cricket for two to three seasons and then speak about bringing them in the Pakistan team.”
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The Comparison Trap
Iftikhar was particularly irked by how quickly emerging players get compared to legends after just one match. “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 succeed across all three formats in domestic cricket before talking about them,” he continued.
The 34-year-old also called out the frequent, and often premature, comparisons with greats like Inzamam-ul-Haq. “You guys start saying that we have found the new Inzamam-ul-Haq and things like that. You’re putting unnecessary pressure,” he stated.
Is Iftikhar Against Youngsters?
Iftikhar Ahmed clarified that he is not against bringing fresh blood to the team, however, he is against the idea of overhyping youngsters over a few performances. He blamed the media for spoiling the cricket atmosphere in Pakistan because they sensationalize new talent rather than highlighting the players who have been working hard in domestic cricket for years.
“I am not against anyone. I am just telling you to show some respect to domestic cricket. Once a player performs well across the three formats in domestic cricket, you, me, everyone will speak about him,” he said.
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“Aap log ki wajah se saara cricket ka mahaul kharab ho gaya hai (You guys have ruined the entire cricket environment),” he bluntly stated.
And you know what? He’s got a point. The pressure on young talent in Pakistan is immense, and the burden of these expectations often leads to disappointing performances on the international stage. Haider Ali is a prime example of this.
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