Following Pakistan's defeat to Afghanistan in the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023, all-rounder Iftikhar Ahmed addressed the media and didn't hold back in his assessment of the team's performance, particularly in the bowling and fielding aspects. Iftikhar Ahmed started by acknowledging the underwhelming performance of Pakistan's spinners, stating, "Our spinners couldn't deliver as expected."
Moreover, he expressed his disappointment with the performance of Pakistan's highly-ranked bowling unit, stating, "Our bowling, which is considered one of the best in the world, is not meeting our expectations."
Iftikhar recognized that every team goes through ups and downs, saying, "Every team experiences challenging phases, and we are going through a difficult period at the moment."
However, Iftikhar remained optimistic about the team's future, emphasizing, "We have the determination to overcome these challenges, and we'll make every effort to improve our performance." This determination reflects the team's commitment to addressing the issues they've identified.
He also noted the need for improvement in their batting, saying, "This time we needed more than 300 runs. Our bowlers understand that we need to enhance our performance as a batting unit."
While reflecting on the defeat, Iftikhar Ahmed acknowledged its impact on the team's morale, stating, "Losing affects the morale of any team. Afghanistan played excellent cricket today, and they deserve credit for it."
Looking forward, Iftikhar Ahmed expressed confidence, saying, "We have the capability to bounce back." He reiterated the team's dedication to securing a place in the top four, saying, "We will strive to win all our matches and secure a spot in the top four."
It's worth noting that this victory marked the first time an Afghanistan side, led by Hashmatullah Shahidi, defeated Pakistan. It was their second win in the tournament after previously defeating England.
Moreover, he expressed his disappointment with the performance of Pakistan's highly-ranked bowling unit, stating, "Our bowling, which is considered one of the best in the world, is not meeting our expectations."
Iftikhar recognized that every team goes through ups and downs, saying, "Every team experiences challenging phases, and we are going through a difficult period at the moment."
However, Iftikhar remained optimistic about the team's future, emphasizing, "We have the determination to overcome these challenges, and we'll make every effort to improve our performance." This determination reflects the team's commitment to addressing the issues they've identified.
He also noted the need for improvement in their batting, saying, "This time we needed more than 300 runs. Our bowlers understand that we need to enhance our performance as a batting unit."
While reflecting on the defeat, Iftikhar Ahmed acknowledged its impact on the team's morale, stating, "Losing affects the morale of any team. Afghanistan played excellent cricket today, and they deserve credit for it."
Looking forward, Iftikhar Ahmed expressed confidence, saying, "We have the capability to bounce back." He reiterated the team's dedication to securing a place in the top four, saying, "We will strive to win all our matches and secure a spot in the top four."
It's worth noting that this victory marked the first time an Afghanistan side, led by Hashmatullah Shahidi, defeated Pakistan. It was their second win in the tournament after previously defeating England.