International career
Iftikhar Ahmed has played for Pakistan in various formats since his debut. Here's a look at his career:
- October 2015: Iftikhar was the top scorer for Pakistan A in their match against England.
- 13 November 2015: He debuted in One Day Internationals (ODI) during Pakistan's tour of England.
- 11 August 2016: Iftikhar played his first Test match against England.
- March 2016: Though initially named in the squad for the ICC World Twenty20, Iftikhar was dropped due to poor form. However, he made his T20 debut against Sri Lanka in the 2016 Asia Cup.
- September 2019: Iftikhar was included in Pakistan's squad for the series against Sri Lanka.
- May 2020: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) awarded him a central contract for the 2020–21 season.
- June 2020: He joined the 29-man squad for Pakistan’s tour of England during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- 1 November 2020: Iftikhar took his first five-wicket haul in ODI cricket during the second match against Zimbabwe.
- May 2024: He was named in Pakistan's squad for the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.
Iftikhar continues to play for Multan Sultans in the Pakistan Super League, building a solid career as an all-rounder.
Leagues Participation
Iftikhar Ahmed has played in several well-known T20 leagues. Below is a look at his career in these leagues, including key details for each season:
Lanka Premier League (LPL)
Iftikhar Ahmed joined the Lanka Premier League, where he played for different teams. His performances in the league have been important for his teams.
|
Year
|
Team
|
Auction Price
|
Notable Achievements
|
|
2023
|
Colombo Strikers
|
$50,000
|
Signed during the auction
|
|
2024
|
Dambulla Thunder
|
$50,000
|
Signed again during the 2024 auction
|
In 2023, Iftikhar was listed among the most valuable players by ESPNcricinfo, showing his importance in the tournament.
Afghanistan Premier League (APL)
Iftikhar played in the first edition of the Afghanistan Premier League, where he joined the Kandahar team. Though he played only one match, the experience was important for him.
|
Year
|
Team
|
Matches Played
|
Achievements
|
|
2018
|
Kandahar
|
1
|
Played 1 match
|
Bangladesh Premier League (BPL)
Iftikhar Ahmed has been part of the Bangladesh Premier League. He made a big impact in the 2024 season, playing a key role for the teams he represented. Here's a look at his BPL career:
|
Year
|
Team
|
Matches Played
|
Runs Scored
|
Wickets Taken
|
Achievements
|
|
2023
|
Fortune Barishal
|
10
|
315
|
5
|
Scored a maiden T20 century
|
|
2024
|
Khulna Tigers
|
12
|
385
|
8
|
Key middle-order batter, part-time bowler
|
In 2024, Iftikhar played a major role for the Khulna Tigers. He was a reliable batter and also bowled well when needed.
Pakistan Super League (PSL)
Iftikhar Ahmed has been a consistent player in the Pakistan Super League. He played for several teams and contributed with both bat and ball. Below are his details in the PSL:
|
Year
|
Team
|
Matches Played
|
Runs Scored
|
Wickets Taken
|
Notable Achievements
|
|
2016
|
Karachi Kings
|
8
|
150
|
3
|
Debut season, good performances
|
|
2017
|
Peshawar Zalmi
|
6
|
120
|
2
|
Contributed with both bat and ball
|
|
2018
|
Islamabad United
|
10
|
185
|
5
|
Played well in middle-order
|
|
2019
|
Karachi Kings
|
8
|
160
|
4
|
Important player in several matches
|
|
2022
|
Quetta Gladiators
|
9
|
175
|
6
|
Played a key role in the team's success
|
|
2023
|
Quetta Gladiators
|
10
|
189
|
5
|
Third-highest scorer in the season
|
|
2024
|
Multan Sultans
|
11
|
220
|
8
|
Played an important role in Multan's success
|
In 2025, Iftikhar will play for Multan Sultans in the PSL season.
Domestic career
Iftikhar Ahmed has had a strong domestic cricket career with some key performances. In the 2017–18 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, he scored 735 runs for Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited in 11 matches, finishing as the top run-scorer. In the 2016–17 Regional One Day Cup final, he scored 131 not out and took 3 wickets for 12 runs, earning a shared "Man of the Match" award.
In the 2017 Pakistan Cup, he was the top run-scorer for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 244 runs in 4 matches. He also played for Sindh in the 2018 Pakistan Cup, where he scored 116 runs in the opening match and was named "Man of the Match". He finished the tournament with 230 runs in 4 matches, leading the team.
In the 2018–19 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, Iftikhar scored 660 runs for Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited in 7 matches. In 2019, he joined Punjab for the Pakistan Cup, and later in the 2019–20 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, he played for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In 2021, he captained Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to win the National T20 Cup, earning both "Player of the Final" and "Player of the Tournament" awards.
Records and achievements
Iftikhar Ahmed has reached several important milestones in his career:
- On November 3, 2022, he and Shadab Khan set Pakistan's highest 6th wicket T20I partnership with 82 runs against South Africa.
- On April 17, 2023, Iftikhar and Faheem Ashraf set Pakistan's highest 8th wicket T20I partnership with 82 runs against New Zealand.
- On August 30, 2023, he and Babar Azam formed Pakistan's highest 5th wicket ODI partnership, scoring 214 runs against Nepal.
- In the 2023 Lanka Premier League, he became the most expensive overseas player.
- On August 30, 2023, at 32 years and 361 days old, Iftikhar became the second oldest Pakistani player to score an ODI century.
- During the 2019 Cricket World Cup, he was the leading run-scorer for Pakistan with 362 runs in 5 matches.
- In 2020, he scored 392 runs in 11 games and was named Tournament Player.
- In 2023, he was named MVP after scoring 446 runs and taking 15 wickets in 12 matches.
- In the 2021-2022 National T20 Cup, he was named the best player of the final and the tournament, leading Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to victory.
Personal life
Iftikhar Ahmed was born in Peshawar, Pakistan, into a Pashtun family. He built a cricket stadium in his village to help local players grow.
Family
Iftikhar is married and has two children. He often shares moments with his family on social media. In one post, he celebrated the birth of his daughter, calling her “a beautiful addition to IftiMania” and thanked fans for their prayers.
Finance
Iftikhar's net worth is around $5 million as of 2023. His wealth mainly comes from his cricket career, including his salary from domestic and international matches and deals with brands.
House and Cars
Iftikhar owns a large, luxurious house in Peshawar. He has an Audi and a Mercedes, but he doesn't share much about his cars on social media.
Scandals
Iftikhar has been involved in a few controversies:
- January 15, 2024: During a match against New Zealand, a fan called him "Chacha." Iftikhar became angry and insulted the fan, which went viral online.
- Fake Quote: In 2023, a quote was wrongly attributed to Iftikhar. He spoke out against it and asked social media platform owner Elon Musk to address the fake post.
- Criticism of the Media: After a loss in the Champions One-Day Cup final in 2024, Iftikhar criticized the media for overpraising players after one good match.
Fans
Iftikhar has a large fan base, especially after his big batting performances. He gained attention by hitting six consecutive sixes against Wahab Riaz. This led to the rise of the hashtag "#IftiMania" on social media.
An Indian fan, Heer, from Punjab, shared her admiration for Iftikhar during the 2023 World Cup. In a popular interview, she expressed her love for him and even said she wanted to marry him. Iftikhar has 530k followers on Instagram.
