'Cricket Ka Mahaul Kharab ho Gaya Hai!': Pakistan Cricketer Ifitkhar Ahmed Snaps Back at Journalist After Query Over Emerging Talent

Pakistan cricketer Iftikhar Ahmed has voiced his displeasure over the hype that young and upcoming players get from the media and blamed them for passing quick judgement. Iftikhar was responding to a query over the new talents he thinks have emerged from Pakistan’s inaugural domestic competition Champions Cup One-day Cup.

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Iftikhar, who leads Markhors, was addressing media after his team’s defeat to Panthers when he snapped back at a reporter’s question over the emerging talent.

“Media ne kya dekh liya hai (what has the media observed)?” he said before adding, “I am not against anyone but don’t hype someone beyond reason after just one innings. Let the youngsters perform consistently in domestic cricket, let them succeed for two-three seasons and then talk about their prospects of representing Pakistan.”

The 34-year-old advised that players should be allowed to perform consistently across all three formats before discussing their prospects of playing international cricket.

“Ek innings mei aap upar le ke jaate, fir wahan pe jab woh Pakistan ke liye fail ho jata hai, toh kehte ho ‘yeh kahan se laye ho, yeh toh kuchh bhi nahi hai! Khuda ke vaaste, kisi ko teeno format mai top karne do phir uski baat karo. (You guys hype someone and then if they don’t perform for Pakistan then ask questions why this guy has been selected? For god’s sake, let them perform in all three formats first),” Iftikhar said.

“Media keeps talking about how ‘Pakistan has got another Inzamam (ul-haq). I just want people to respect domestic cricket first, let upcoming players succeed there across formats and then talk about their elevation to international cricket,” he added.

He then went on to blame media for negatively impacting the state of cricket in Pakistan.

“Aap logo ki wajah se cricket ka sara mahaul kharab ho gaya hai (You guys have ruined cricket in Pakistan). You hype someone beyond reason and then thrash them instantly,” Iftikhar lamented.