LAHORE: Peshawar Zalmi all-rounder Iftikhar Ahmed on Tuesday expressed his determination to return to the national men’s cricket team after performing strongly in the much-anticipated Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 from March 26 to May 3.
Iftikhar, who has represented Pakistan in four Tests, 28 ODIs and 66 T20Is, was picked by the 2017 champions for Rs 18 million in the accelerated round of the historic player auction last month and shared that his preparations for the historic 11th edition are going well with the marquee league.
“The preparation for the PSL tournament is going very well. By the grace of Almighty Allah, our local players are also at the peak of the season,” Iftikhar told reporters on the sidelines of Zalmi’s practice here.
“Without the crowd, we can’t enjoy like we used to, but now we’re here, we have to enjoy,” he added.
After failing to retain his place in the national team following Pakistan’s lackluster ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 campaign, Iftikhar was determined to return to the international circuit by finishing as the best all-rounder in PSL 11.
He further shared that he has been working on his technique and physical fitness by hiring a personal trainer and coach and is thus hopeful of an exciting performance in the upcoming edition of the marquee league.
“When you play as a professional player, your focus is on Pakistan. And I always think that I have to perform well everywhere,” said Iftikhar.
“I have done well in domestic matches. I have been the best player in ODIs. And I am trying to make my team win and be a better batsman or a better all-rounder so that I can come back to the Pakistan team.
“I have worked on my technique. I have hired a trainer for me. I am working with Zoya Khan in Peshawar. I have hired a trainer for me. I have been working on my fitness. You can see my fitness. I will be active in PSL and come back.”
The all-rounder also revealed that he had nothing to do with Pakistan men’s cricket team head coach Mike Hessen, insisting that the incidents would never be covered up and would eventually lead to his comeback.
“I have nothing to do with him. This is the truth. I think if you act, acting doesn’t cover it,” said Iftikhar.
“It shows the world that I deserve to be in the team. My focus is to come back through performance and performance,” he added.
Iftikhar Ahmed has played for five franchises in the PSL so far since making his debut for Karachi Kings in 2016 and a second stint with Zalmi in the upcoming season, but the all-rounder has remained unfazed by the constant changes.
“I have played for five teams in the PSL and when I first played for Peshawar Zalmi, we became champions,” said Iftikhar.
“Each team has its own qualities. Each owner is professional. Each has his own mentality.
“As a player, you have to play with the mindset of the owner. I have played with the current management of Peshawar Zalmi in the past and enjoyed playing with them.
“Peshawar Zalmi don’t play cricket like other teams. They play according to the match situation. Many teams like Islamabad and United are good at playing fast.”
For the uninitiated, the upcoming PSL 11 will be played behind closed doors in Karachi and Lahore, meaning Peshawar’s debut as PSL hosts has been shelved to align with the officially announced national resource conservation efforts.
“People of Peshawar are very cricket lovers. Trust me, our national T20 stadium was packed,” shared Iftikhar.
“Many people have called me and asked me when the PSL match will be held (but) you can’t do anything about it. It’s the government’s policy and I think they’re right.”
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