I try and play positive cricket like coach Misbahul Haq: Iftikhar

Pakistan batsman Iftikhar Ahmed has identified Misbahul Haq as his role model after the head coach and chief selector of the national team included him in the ODI squad for the Sri Lanka series.

Iftikhar, 29, has never been given a regular run of games in any format despite being on the periphery of the national setup for a number of years. He has a chance to add to his two career ODIs as Misbah has picked him for the Sri Lanka series.

Ahead of Friday’s tour opener in Karachi, Iftikhar has revealed that he considers Misbah as his role model.

“Misbahul Haq is my ideal,” the Peshawar native is quoted as saying by Daily Jang. “I try and play positive cricket like him.”

Iftikhar said that the role assigned to him is also a lot similar to how Misbah played in his cricketing career.

“As a middle-order batsman, my responsibility is to finish the match in a good way. I am supposed to stay at the crease till the end,” he added.