Iftikhar Ahmed

Iftikhar Ahmed is a Pakistani international cricketer who represents Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League. He has previously played for several franchises including Karachi Kings, Islamabad United, Quetta Gladiators and Multan Sultans.

Early life and education

Ahmed was born on 3 September 1990 in Peshawar, Pakistan. He belongs to a Pashtun family. To support local talent development, he built a cricket stadium in his home village.

Career

The cricketer began his domestic journey with notable performances for Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited. During the 2017–18 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, he acted as the leading run-scorer for the team by accumulating 735 runs across eleven matches. He repeated this feat in the 2018–19 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy where he scored 660 runs in seven matches.

His success continued in regional tournaments. On 27 January 2017, he scored 131 not out and took 3 wickets for 12 runs during the final of the 2016–17 Regional One Day Cup. He was also the leading run-scorer for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the 2017 Pakistan Cup with 244 runs. In April 2018, he joined Sindh's squad for the 2018 Pakistan Cup and scored 116 runs against Balochistan in the opening fixture. He finished that tournament with a total of 230 runs.

Ahmed transitioned to international cricket through various formats. He was the top-scorer for Pakistan A during a two-day match against England in October 2015. He made his One Day International debut on 13 November 2015. His Test debut occurred against England on 11 August 2016.

Although he was initially selected for the 2016 ICC World Twenty20, poor form led to him being dropped from that squad. He eventually made his Twenty20 International debut against Sri Lanka on 4 March 2016 during the Asia Cup. The Pakistan Cricket Board awarded him a central contract in May 2020. On 1 November 2020, he achieved his first five-wicket haul in ODI cricket against Zimbabwe.

His franchise career spans multiple countries and leagues. He played for Kandahar in the first Afghanistan Premier League in September 2018. In January 2023, he hit his maiden T20 century while playing for Fortune Barishal in the Bangladesh Premier League. He is signed to play for Rangpur Riders in the 2025 Bangladesh Premier League and Guyana Amazon Warriors in the 2025 Caribbean Premier League.

In the 2026 HBL Pakistan Super League player auction, Peshawar Zalmi signed him for PKR 1.8 crore. He was also a member of the Pakistan squad for the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

Personal life

Ahmed was born into a Pashtun family in Peshawar. He remains involved in his community through the cricket stadium he established in his home village.

Awards and recognition

He earned joint man of the match honors alongside Gauhar Ali for his performance in the 2016–17 Regional One Day Cup final. In April 2018, he was named man of the match after scoring 116 runs for Sindh. During the 2021–22 National T20 Cup, he led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to a successful title defence. He was named both the player of the final and the player of the tournament during that competition.