Iftikhar hopes his run-scoring will earn him more rewards

LAHORE, Mar 02 (APP):Karachi Kings’ middle-order batsman Iftikhar Ahmed hopes that his run-scoring will earn him more rewards in the
coming days.
The 28-year-old from Peshawar, a top-run scorer at domestic level, scored a match winning 33 not out with two sixes and as many boundaries to help his side chase down a 134-run target against Lahore Qalandars
in Dubai on Thursday, according to an analysis conducted here on Saturday.
Iftikhar, who has played one Test, two ODIs and a single T20I for Pakistan, hopes more chancesat the top level will come his way.
“If you look at my record, I am among the three top scorers in Pakistan,” said Iftikhar. “My job is to perform and it’s the selectors’ job to select. I hope more rewards will come my way.”
The unassuming batsman scored 351 runs in the 2016-17 National
One-Day Tournament at an average of 58.50, while his tally in the
2017-18 One-Day Cup was 236 runs at 59.00 in seven matches.
“I played one Test and batted only once,” said Iftikhar of the
2016 The Oval Test which Pakistan won to level the four-Test series two-all,” Iftikhar said, adding: “I debuted in the Asia Cup (2016) and I didn’t get an opportunity to bat.”
“For a player like me, there is first-class cricket and the HBL
PSL to perform while it’s the selectors’ job to select me”, he
asserted.
Iftikhar said his job was to bat till the last.
“I wanted to go till the last. I am playing first-class cricket
for the last 10 years, so I have the experience and that helps.”
Iftikhar, also a good off-spinner, took two for four in his two overs against Lahore Qalandars.
“I am happy to have taken wickets. Captain (Imad Wasim) had told me
if the left-handers come, I will have to bowl and I did well,” said Iftikhar.
He said Karachi Kings can go on to finish among the top four in the first phase.
“Our team is good. If our overseas batsmen get settled, then our bowling is good. So, we can finish in the top four,” said Iftikhar.
Points table (after Friday’s matches):
Peshawar Zalmi played seven matches won five lost two got ten
points with a net run rate of 0.852.
Quetta Gladiators played seven matches won five lost two got ten
points with net run rate of 0.085
Islamabd United played eight matches won four lost four got eight points with a net run rate of 0.12.
Lahore Qalandars played seven matches won three lost four got six points with a net run rate of -0.341.
Karachi Kings played seven matches won three lost four got six
points with a net run rate of -0.58.
Multan Sultans played eight matches won two list six got four
points with a net run rate of -0.119.
Upcoming matches:
4 March (Match No.23) — Peshawar Zalmi v Quetta Gladiators, Abu
Dhabi (match starts 430pm PST)
4 March (Match No.24) — Karachi Kings v Multan Sultans, Abu Dhabi (match starts 9pm PST)
5 March (Match No.25) — Lahore Qalandars v Peshawar Zalmi, Abu
Dhabi (match starts 430pm PST)
5 March (Match No.26) — Islamabad United v Quetta Gladiators, Abu Dhabi (match starts 9pm PST).