Iftikhar Ahmed’s recent form has been concerning, evident from his struggles at the crease. Known for his ability to hit towering sixes, Iftikhar has been unable to clear the ropes effectively, leading to doubts about his future in international cricket. His performances as Pakistan’s designated finisher in ICC tournaments have been underwhelming, with disappointing outings in both the ODI World Cup and the T20 World Cup.
Despite these struggles, Iftikhar was granted a No Objection Certificate (NOC) by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to participate in the Global T20 Canada, a privilege not extended to senior players like Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Afridi. The PCB is closely monitoring his performances in this tournament, as they contemplate significant changes to revitalize Pakistan cricket.
However, Iftikhar’s luck did not improve in his debut match of the Global T20 Canada 2024. Assigned to bat at No. 4 in a chase of 190 runs, Iftikhar had an opportunity to prove himself but faltered instead. He entered the crease in the 7th over and was dismissed in the 18th, scoring only 28 runs from 24 balls. His performance contributed little to the Bangla Tigers, who faced a heavy defeat by 33 runs. The manner of his dismissal further fueled criticism—attempting a no-look shot, he ended up providing an easy catch to the fielder.
The match saw Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s explosive 64 off 39 balls as the highlight of Bangla Tigers’ innings. Despite his efforts, the team managed only 156-8. Earlier, the Montreal Tigers set a challenging target with a total of 189-6, thanks to solid contributions from Ashton Agar (41), Tim Seifert (44), Dilpreet Bajwa (41), and Ben Manenti (40).
PCB’s Decision On NOCs
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) recently made headlines by refusing No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) to key players Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Mohammad Rizwan for the Global T20 in Canada. This decision followed a similar refusal for Naseem Shah’s participation in The Hundred, where he had a contract with Birmingham Phoenix.
