Malik calls for Iftikhar’s inclusion in Pak ODI team

KARACHI: Former Pakistan captain and Karachi Kings senior batsman Shoaib Malik has called for inclusion of hard-hitting batsman Iftikhar Ahmed in Pakistan’s one-day squad.

“I will definitely request that Iftikhar Ahmed be in the Pakistan’s ODI team as World Cup is around the corner,” Malik told a post-match news conference here at the National Stadium after his side Karachi Kings lost to Peshawar Zalmi by just two runs.

“Iftikhar is playing very good cricket and the position at which he plays we need him in ODI cricket at that position,” Malik said.

To a question about left-arm pacer Mohammad Amir, he said the players must respect each other. “I have seen Amir, Imad and Babar. They treat each other with respect. Cricketers should respect each other and not cross the line,” he said.

Malik said that he wants to achieve 15000 runs target in his T20 career. “Definitely, there is nothing big than playing for your country but I have moved forward a step from that. I want to achieve 15,000 runs target and for that as long I am enjoying and the captain is sending me to hot spots in fielding I will continue to play. When I start feeling bored I will announce retirement from all things,” Malik said.

“I don’t expect anything from anyone. My expectations are from God and from myself,” he said.

Malik, who has already retired from Test and ODI, has to his credit 12,380 runs in 502 T20s.

Malik hit a fine fifty in Kings’ chase of 200 but fell near the end which gave an edge to Zalmi. Malik said had he been there the outcome could have been different. “Had I been there the result could have been different but Ben Cutting is known for finishing games. We should give credit to Wahab Riaz who bowled well the penultimate over. That was the turning point of the match. Off course I am not taking away the credit from Khurram Shehzad as defending 16 runs in modern cricket is difficult even for a major bowler,” Malik said.