No one says we ate ‘biryani’ when we win: Iftikhar Ahmed

Pakistani middle-order batter Iftikhar Ahmed talked to the press ahead of the Green Shirts' most-important round match of the ICC World Cup 2023 against New Zealand at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, on November 4.

Iftikhar, 33, who has accumulated 139 runs in the mega event so far, said that the team's morale is lifted after the latest seven-wicket win against Bangladesh in Kolkata.

"Team's morale is high after the [latest] win, we will try to play our best cricket in the remaining games," Iftikhar said while talking to the press. "We can only do hard work, and our entire team is doing that, we only trust what is in our hands."

Iftikhar then joked that everyone says that we eat a lot of Biryani when we lose but not when we win.

"When we are losing, everyone says that no one in the team is giving their best, but when the team is losing no one says that we are eating Biryani, please tell me why is it like this. If someone is eating Biryani or doing something that damages the country's name, then we are against it," he said with a little smile.

The 33-year-old also weighed in on his role in the team, both with the bat and ball saying that he comes to bowl early according to a plan.

"I come to bowl in the starting overs with a plan. I only play according to my role in the team. I will come to bat at whatever position the team wants me to bat," he added.

"We know that we have to maintain our net run rate (NRR). We have played in Bengaluru before [against Australia] so we are aware of the conditions. In Indian conditions, you have to score runs quickly in the early stages.

"There is nothing much for bowlers in Indian wickets. We set our field according to the pitch. If the ball isn't moving much, then we take a slip," he added.

It is worth mentioning that Pakistan face an injury-riddled New Zealand on Saturday in a must-win World Cup match, a defeat in Bengaluru tomorrow would end their hopes of playing the semi-final.