Iftikhar responded sharply to a question about young talent emerging from the Champions Cup.
Pakistan all-rounder Iftikhar Ahmed on Sunday (September 29) slammed the media for overhyping young talents. He suggested that young players should prove themselves in domestic cricket on a consistent basis before being considered a prospect for the national side.
The Markhors' captain, visibly upset after his team's loss to the Panthers in the Champions Cup final, responded sharply to a question about young talent emerging from the tournament.
"Media ne kya dekh liya hai (What has the media observed)?" he retorted when asked which players the Champions Cup had unearthed.
Iftikhar argued that media’s tendency to overhype players creates unrealistic expectations, setting them up for failure when they transition to the highest level.
"See, I am not against anyone, but I tell you people, the media, that don't hype someone so much after just one innings, like we have got this and that talent. Let them (youngsters) perform in domestic cricket. Let them succeed there 2-3 seasons, then talk about their prospects to play for Pakistan," he added.
The 34-year-old highlighted the significance of domestic cricket, saying that it is the true testing ground for emerging talent.
"Ek innings mei aap upar le ke jaate, fir wahan pe jab woh Pakistan ke liye fail ho jata hai, toh kehte ho 'yeh kahan se laye ho, yeh toh kuchh bhi nahi hai' (media puts a batsman on cloud nine after just one innings and when that batsman fails while playing for Pakistan, you guys say 'where has this come from, it's nothing')," he remarked.
Pakistan cricket is going through a tumultuous time lately. After a first-round exit from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, they suffered a humiliating 2-0 whitewash in the home Test series against Bangladesh last month.
Pakistan’s embarrassing display has sparked strong reactions from their fans and former players, with many criticizing the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for overlooking domestic performers.
"For god sake, let a player succeed in all formats in domestic cricket, then talk about him. You guys talk so much, like 'Pakistan has got another Inzamam'...I am not against anyone. I am telling everyone to give domestic cricket its due respect. Let a player succeed there in all formats. Then let's all of us talk about that player," Iftikhar said.
He also blamed the media for contributing to the negative atmosphere surrounding cricket in Pakistan.
"Aap logon ki wajah se cricket ka jo sara mahaul hai woh kharab ho gaya hai (things in Pakistan cricket have gone bad because of you guys). The reason is that you guys hype someone so much after just one innings, and then you bring him down to earth," Iftikhar concluded.