Iftikhar Ahmed has made serious claims on a podcast that surname influence and favouritism are heavily embedded in Pakistan cricket.

Taking a dig at the likes of Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi, Iftikhar Ahmed opined that due to favouritism, certain players keep getting more chances even if they do not perform.

Over the years, many ex-cricketers from Pakistan have called for the ouster of Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi for their sub-par performances, except when they are playing countries like Zimbabwe or the B Team of Australia or England.

Iftikhar Ahmed even went on to say that he was kept in the team merely as a backup option rather than a preferred one and that he would have been given more opportunities if he had played for another country.

“This is true,” said Iftikhar Ahmed when asked whether a surname can mask performance failures in Pakistan Cricket.

Would have succeeded more if had played for another country: Iftikhar Ahmed

In a bold claim, Iftikhar took the names of Moeen Ali, Quinton De Kock, and Jos Buttler, who opined to him that he would have succeeded a lot more if he had played for another country.

Iftikhar, who has played 66 T20Is for Pakistan, was their regular power hitter in the T20 format but was dropped after Pakistan’s unthinkable loss against India in New York in the T20 WC 2024.