Iftikhar Ahmed

His first steps at the top level came in white-ball cricket, with an ODI debut in 2015 followed by a T20I debut in 2016. Those early opportunities amounted to only a few matches, and modest returns saw him dropped. In 2016 he was also included in the Test party that toured England. Pakistan shared that series 2-2, squaring it with victory in the last match at the Oval. That game was a celebrated one for his country, but his own Test debut in it left little mark.

On the domestic circuit, however, he kept scoring well enough that selectors never fully lost sight of him. Over time he became part of Pakistan's limited-overs plans, valued above all for his capacity to clear the boundary. He has also turned out in a range of T20 leagues, where many regard him as a threatening presence with the bat.

His first international hundred arrived at the 2023 Asia Cup against Nepal, when he struck 109 from just 71 deliveries. Pakistan went on to win that fixture by 238 runs. Since then he has offered useful middle-order contributions, with greater consistency seen as the key to securing a lasting spot in the side.