(Image source: X.com)
[Saba Sports News] Pakistan batting all-rounder Iftikhar Ahmed cheekily replied to the team’s naysayers, who criticized the Men in Green for their recent performance.
The Babar Azam-led side had faced criticism for their poor show in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. The team also got trolled for excessively consuming Biryani after arriving in India to participate in the quadrennial tournament.
Addressing this, Iftikhar Ahmed, ahead of the must-win match against New Zealand on Saturday in Bengaluru, humorously responded to questions in the press conference. The Peshawar-born hard-hitting all-rounder opined that such irrational flak is reserved for the team only when it go through a poor phase.
“When we are losing, everyone says that no one in the team is giving their best, but when the team is winning no one says that we are eating Biryani, please tell me why is it like this. If someone is eating Biryani or doing something that damages the country’s name, then we are against it,” said Iftikhar in an interaction with media.
Furthermore, the 33-year-old mentioned that Pakistan are fully aware of the qualification scenarios for the semi-finals. He also stated that the side has prior experience of playing in Bengaluru, which will help them in the fixture against the Black Caps.
“We know that we have to maintain our net run rate (NRR). We have played in Bengaluru before [against Australia] so we are aware of the conditions. In Indian conditions, you have to score runs quickly in the early stages. There is nothing much for bowlers in Indian wickets. We set our field according to the pitch. If the ball isn’t moving much, then we take a slip,” he added.
After the New Zealand game, Pakistan will travel to Kolkata to play against England in their last league game of the World Cup 2023 on November 11.
However, to qualify for the semis, Babar Azam and Co. not only have to win their remaining matches but also need to do so with significant margins to improve their Net Run Rate, which currently reads as -0.024.