"I cannot go into the ground and hold the bat for them" : Ijaz Ahmed

[MenInG]

Ijaz Ahmed speaking to the press after return to Pakistan:

"We finished on number 3 in the World Cup and I feel this is a big achievement for us"

"We won practice matches and other World Cup matches there too"

"We only had one bad day and that was against India U19s"

"That's because the boys took on pressure which I could see that day"

"We would like to congratulate Bangladesh on their victory - they reached the final for the first time and then won it"

"We were a little unlucky in our game against Bangladesh"

"My job is to develop players for Pakistan, and I am happy that we have 4-5 good players who have come through"

"This happens in cricket when you have bad patches - it doesnt mean that they dont have the capabilities"

"A bit disappointed that my two players who I banked upon, Rohail and Haider, could not perform that well as I thought they would but that is part of the game@

"I am happy that I got 2 good players in Qasim Akram who is one of the best fielders, off-spinner and batsman"

"With the gradual decline of Hafeez and Malik we need a replacement for these players in the future so Qasim is one of those, the other is Haris who also kept wickets in the practice game vs Sri Lanka; So in the future, he can play as middle-order batsman and a 'keeper at number 6-7 for Pakistan"

"I have asked PCB to allow me to hold a camp for 4 months where I can groom emerging and under-19 players and clear up some of the grey areas in terms of skills for these players"

"Pakistan U19 team has played very few matches and if I compare ourselves with other teams, they have played 34-36 games whilst we in last two years have played just 16 games"

"When I met PCB administrators, I will ask them to give us maximum tours where we can develop players"


"I have been working with the boys for 6 months now and in that time I have lost just one game, I have played 3 series"

"I feel that my own performance and that of my team management and my team has been excellent and in the future, I will get you positive results"

"Defeat and victory are part of the game but my main aim is player development"

"If we wanted to just win the World Cup, then we would have stressed on getting Naseem Shah for that"

"I was also pained by the defeat to India and that we should have put up a fight in that match but I cant help it - I cannot go into the ground and hold the bat for them - all I can do is to advise them"

"Yes, we did feel the absence of Naseem Shah in the World Cup but what I am happy about is that he is the youngest player to have taken a Test hat-trick; This is not an easy thing to do, especially if you look at the tracks we play on; What he's done is amazing and I feel that he bowled like a mature cricketer in the way he took those wickets against Bangladesh; His confidence after this hat-trick will be boosted a lot"

"He didnt go to the World Cup with me but the point is to develop players for Pakistan and Naseem gave a 100% return (for the investment in him); Also Shaheen Shah Afridi has gone through the same process and also in the future, we will get more fast-bowlers (like these two)"

"Running between the wickets is related to one's fitness"

"When we used to play cricket, we would win 80%-90% of the games against India; Our body language used to be totally different and that's what I have taught my players too"

"Our combination for the India game was good and we batted first because we had three spinners and three fast-bowlers so we have many options but fact is that if you dont make a big total, other team doesnt come under pressure"

"When the tournament started, it was Rohail's aim to become the best player of the tournament, in some games he was hurrying too much (to score) and I was telling him to go in there and take your time; But all he did was take the pressure of trying to become the best player in the World Cup"

"When you go in thinking that you have to score a hundred then you will put pressure on yourself"

"Instead you should have smaller goals like I will get to 35-40 then when I am set, I will build my innings"

"Yes I had said that if we lose in the semi-final I will take responsibility for the loss and not blame the players; but if we generally see, Pakistan's performance to be number 3 in the tournament is good"

"Every coach wishes to win a tournament, we won the Asia Cup and we were number 3 in this tournament with likes of NZ, Aus, Afghanistan, England behind us"

"I accept the responsibility for the loss to India"

"Every coach's wish would be to have his main bowler (Naseem Shah) there, but he did a hat-trick for Pakistan and that breakthrough for him will allow him to do more such performances in the future"

About India & Bangladesh U19s behaviour

"When you are working on development of players, then its important to make sure that we teach people that cricket is a gentleman's game; Its very sad that there was some trouble between Bangladesh and Indian players; I am very happy that not one such issue occurred which involved the Pakistan team for which we had to be answerable for"

"In the new domestic structure, Sifarishi player will not survive; Its been one year since the establishment of this system so lets give it some time"

Question : After failing in your job, you are now asking for another 4 month camp from PCB - why dont you give someone else a chance?

"This is upto the PCB - if they dont think I am suitable they can take that decision (of removing me)"


Rohail Nazir on MCC team visit

"I am very excited that we will be playing against the MCC side which will have the likes of Kumar Sangakkara and am excited that I will captain my side in those games, and I will also learn a lot from these matches; I hope I can also play well in the PSL as well"

 

[Mamoon]

Ijaz before the tournament:

If we lose, it’s my responsibility.

Ijaz after the tournament:

I cannot go into the ground and hold the bat for them.

Talk is indeed cheap, very cheap.

 

[MenInG]

Ijaz before the tournament:

If we lose, it’s my responsibility.

Ijaz after the tournament:

I cannot go into the ground and hold the bat for them.

Talk is indeed cheap, very cheap.

Read all the quotes

"I accept the responsibility for the loss to India"

 

[Zaz]

What is with pakistani coaches and their love of talking to the media?

What happened to the old fashion coaches working quietly away in the background without creating media soundbites

 

[Mamoon]

Read all the quotes

"I accept the responsibility for the loss to India"

Yes, and he sounds even more confused.

If we lose it’s my responsibility, I cannot go to the ground and bat for them, I accept the responsibility for the loss to India.....

Needs to be put out of his misery. He is rambling without any logic and doesn’t know what to say or do.

Not coaching material and another gaff by the newly reformed and professional PCB, spearheaded by the two saviors from UK.

 

[IAJ]

So Haris can keep wickets too. I like.

 

[ZamanFan]

What is with pakistani coaches and their love of talking to the media?

What happened to the old fashion coaches working quietly away in the background without creating media soundbites

Thats all their good at, as far as their own jobs are concerned they are a big fail.

When you bring coaches by recommendation of the 90s player mafia instead of the proper system thiz issue is bound to happen.

Ijaz Ahmed himself lacked merit and was brought upon recommendation. He made the u19 team also without merit and on likes and dislikes. National u19 one day cup winner team was completely ignored. And qasim akram like players from losing central punjab were forced onto the team. A u16 player Shehzad was brought in the u19 team ignoring several players.

Also the shameful body language when they play against India is more hurtful than their defeats. This is why I've stopped watching Pakistan cricket altogether. Bad defeats against India hurt Pakistan cricket long term. Someone needs to mentally condition them or check what they are exposed to before the match.

 

[Khan12]

So Haris can keep wickets too. I like.

Haris is a better keeper then Rohail.

 

[MenInG]

What is with pakistani coaches and their love of talking to the media?

What happened to the old fashion coaches working quietly away in the background without creating media soundbites

Its organized by the PCB.

 

[Hawkeye]

Let the Ijaz Ahmed bashing start.

3...2....1.

The team that only lost one match. Placed way above Aus, Eng, NZ.

But no, they and especially Ijaz Ahmed will still be bashed because how dare he answer a journalist! How dare the press contact him!

Let's also forget that u19 is about player development and picking ones for the senior team.

 

[Kroll]

I'd take him over Misbah any day.

 

[Manunited18]

Yes, and he sounds even more confused.

If we lose it’s my responsibility, I cannot go to the ground and bat for them, I accept the responsibility for the loss to India.....

Needs to be put out of his misery. He is rambling without any logic and doesn’t know what to say or do.

Not coaching material and another gaff by the newly reformed and professional PCB, spearheaded by the two saviors from UK.

"We", please stop this nonsense your not kidding me, you ain't no pakistan fan. I've not seen one post from you where you have credited the pakistan team.

 

[Abdullah719]

I wish there were some more hard-hitting questions at the press conference.

What was the reason behind the selection of Mohammad Shehzad?

Why was Fahad Munir at #3 when he clearly looked out of his depth?

Why were Mohammad Haris and Irfan Niazi shunted down the order?

Was Amir Khan fully fit during the last two matches?

Why didn't Aarish Ali Khan get a game?

 

[Syed1]

Talk is indeed cheap, very cheap.

Yes, you would know.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

I wish there were some more hard-hitting questions at the press conference.

What was the reason behind the selection of Mohammad Shehzad?

Why was Fahad Munir at #3 when he clearly looked out of his depth?

Why were Mohammad Haris and Irfan Niazi shunted down the order?

Was Amir Khan fully fit during the last two matches?

Why didn't Aarish Ali Khan get a game?

Very good questions. Another couple:

Why weren’t members of the Sindh team that won domestically included in the team aside from two spinners?

Why was Huraira not played until the QF and forced to debut under high pressure (even if he ended up performing) when he should have played earlier as the highest domestic scorer?

 

[Shafi]

"We only had one bad day and that was against India U19s"
Why we always have bad days against India? Don't you think Skill and maturity we severely lack of? The result would be same if India batted first. We couldn't take a single wicket where Bangladesh bowled them out in 176 runs.


did feel the absence of Naseem Shah in the World Cup
As if we would have won the cup if we had Nasim.

How on earth did you select players like Fawad, Shehzad?
Why our players are so unfit and cannot deal with pressure?

 

[Savak]

When you apply for a job, get paid a handsome salary, you cannot get away "I cannot go out there for them", perform or leave

 

[ElRaja]

pretty ironic thing to say given how he held the bat himself :/

 

[ZamanFan]

To summarize this huge set of interview, the purpose of Ijaz Ahmed is, LET ME CONTINUE AND MIRACLES AWAIT US after losing to India in the Semi Final of U19 World Cup for which the U19 and U16 isprepared for 2 years.

Firstly it was a terrible decision by PCB (Ehsan Mani and Wasim Khan) to replace head coach just 4 months before U19 World Cup and appoint a coach on recommendation of a 90s 'legend'.

The 'legends' of the 90s Pakistan team have proven to be catastrophic for Pakistan domestic setup, players and the corrupt system, by exercising their authority in the worst ever ways to favore certainplayers and destroying merit.

Inzamam ul Haq did this as captain and chief selector, Waqar Younis has done it as head coach and now Ijaz Ahmed has emerged as doing the same. The junior selection committee after Basit Ali's exit became a rubber stamp. Saleem Jaffer has been selector before and has never acted independently which is why he is in almost every selection committee.

PCB wasted a whole amount of funds to organize and execute an event caller National U19 One Day Cup, a team (Sindh U19 Cup) won the tournament and what transpires is Ijaz Ahmed completely ignoring the whole winning team as well as many batting performers who were thrashing the Aamir Khans, Tahir Hussains all around the park which Mr. Ijaz picked for the U19 Cup.

Fahad Munir, Harris, Bangalzai and Irfan played against India U 19 in Oct 2019 (Asia Cup) and flopped badly they were picked again alongwith Haider Ali.

Accoeding to Ijaz Ahmed,he has lost one match but won the rest. Pakistan U19 has been playing associate teams Scotland, Zimbabwe, Nigeria mostly. Sri Lanka u19 is'nt the best so the only competitive team they faced before semi final was Afghanistan rofl .

The way Ijaz has selected and played them is coming under scrutiny. He completely ignored domestic batting performers as well Sindh U19 (tournament winners) for a set tried and tested failures like Fahad Munir, Haris, Irfan and Bangalzai. A u16 all rounder Shehzad was selected over U19 players.

What happened to Pakistan National team is being repeated in U 19 and again the 90s player is doing the devastation using the system to sideline merit.

 

[BouncerGuy]

This was a pretty racist type of comment he made on live tv. Should not be saying stuff like this anywhere.

------------------------------------

Ijaz Ahmed speaking in an interview on a TV show:

“You should consider this: 80 percent of your cricket is now being played in remote areas or in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. If you were to form a team for Sindh, it would include six to eight Pathans. They lack both education and exposure. They wake up in the morning, pray with their father, uncle, or brother, and then return home. After that, they do not leave the house. When faced with such pressure, they struggle to cope.”​

 

[BouncerGuy]

This was a pretty racist type of comment he made on live tv. Should not be saying stuff like this anywhere.

------------------------------------

Ijaz Ahmed speaking in an interview on a TV show:

“You should consider this: 80 percent of your cricket is now being played in remote areas or in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. If you were to form a team for Sindh, it would include six to eight Pathans. They lack both education and exposure. They wake up in the morning, pray with their father, uncle, or brother, and then return home. After that, they do not leave the house. When faced with such pressure, they struggle to cope.”​

Those words said by Ijaz Ahmed were not good at all. Should be condemned as they are.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1800318227714556141

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Babar Azam, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf and Mohammed Amir aren't Pathan.

One of them has led us to numerous defeats against minnows.

Two have produced some of the worst moments in Pak T20 cricket history.

One couldn't handle the pressure bowling a final over v US.

and one hasn't been able to land a ball in the right place for 2 years.

Ijaz should not be making comments like this. 1 they are not just racist but also devoid of any facts what soever.

 

[Speedster1]

This was a pretty racist type of comment he made on live tv. Should not be saying stuff like this anywhere.

------------------------------------

Ijaz Ahmed speaking in an interview on a TV show:

“You should consider this: 80 percent of your cricket is now being played in remote areas or in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. If you were to form a team for Sindh, it would include six to eight Pathans. They lack both education and exposure. They wake up in the morning, pray with their father, uncle, or brother, and then return home. After that, they do not leave the house. When faced with such pressure, they struggle to cope.”​

Disgusting comments - is this guy OK in the head?

 

[PakEngFan]

This shameless clown should look at the facts before making racist comments. Why are idiots like him allowed on the show and shame on the idiots in the show who kept quite.

 

[Rana]

This shameless clown should look at the facts before making racist comments. Why are idiots like him allowed on the show and shame on the idiots in the show who kept quite.

Just like you are allowed to spread hatred towards Sindhi cricketers here.

Everyone is in it for themselves in this sick world of Pakistan cricket.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Quite ironic that he's saying they lack education and exposure when his comments are examples of exactly that.

 

[Rana]

Quite ironic that he's saying they lack education and exposure when his comments are examples of exactly that.

Yeah I don’t understand how he thinks he is making sense here…

So everyone in KPK just goes to the mosque with their fathers, come back home by the afternoon and never leave the house after that? How does the region function? How does the region produce athletes if no one leaves their homes after returning from the mosque in the afternoon?

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Yeah I don’t understand how he thinks he is making sense here…

So everyone in KPK just goes to the mosque with their fathers, come back home by the afternoon and never leave the house after that? How does the region function? How does the region produce athletes if no one leaves their homes after returning from the mosque in the afternoon?

I'm sure the people of KPK have their drawbacks like any other community, but they also have a reputation for having principles. Not sure about where Ijaz Ahmed is from but you might find those scarce in some communities if we want to start making steretypes. Clown.

 

[mominsaigol]

This was a pretty racist type of comment he made on live tv. Should not be saying stuff like this anywhere.

------------------------------------

Ijaz Ahmed speaking in an interview on a TV show:

“You should consider this: 80 percent of your cricket is now being played in remote areas or in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. If you were to form a team for Sindh, it would include six to eight Pathans. They lack both education and exposure. They wake up in the morning, pray with their father, uncle, or brother, and then return home. After that, they do not leave the house. When faced with such pressure, they struggle to cope.”​

Probs the worst ex cricketer speech I've seen. Not even gonna bother tearing this apart.

 

[Muhammad Saad]

He said the correct thing while using the wrong words , most of our cricketers are from remote areas without proper education and exposure to the world and they don't possess the IQ to outsmart the opposing team player nor they can handle pressure.

 

[mazkhan]

So why are Afghans doing so well if it is pathan mindset according to ijaz.

 

[chinaman00]

Ijaz Ahmed used to be one of my favorite players growing up. So unfortunate to see him descend to these deplorable depths.

Time and again, the failure of the host and co-panelist to call out these filthy rhetoric amazes me. How can anyone be okay with people uttering such nonsensical statements?

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

He said the correct thing while using the wrong words , most of our cricketers are from remote areas without proper education and exposure to the world and they don't possess the IQ to outsmart the opposing team player nor they can handle pressure.

What has education got to do with handling pressure? You could have someone with barely any education who could handle pressure while someone with a university degree might fall apart regardless of his education. Just look at professional football if you want proof of it.

 

[Muhammad Saad]

What has education got to do with handling pressure? You could have someone with barely any education who could handle pressure while someone with a university degree might fall apart regardless of his education. Just look at professional football if you want proof of it.

Education has nothing to do with handling pressure , education is necessary to predict you opponent next move , exposure is what makes you handle pressure , pak players lack both.

 

[chinaman00]

Education has nothing to do with handling pressure , education is necessary to predict you opponent next move , exposure is what makes you handle pressure , pak players lack both.

Well said. Education is important for critical thinking, however. But one doesn’t just need education for critical thinking. I mean look at javed miandad, one of the most street smart and mentally sharp players in the history of the game.

One thing I notice about the recent crop of Pakistani players is the absolute disdain to grow professionally & lack of curiosity. Those of us on the older side know how Wasim Akram & Waqar Younis were just poor kids picked up from the streets and we watched how they went through county cricket, set world records but also mastered the English language. The current crop of players are neither interested in self-improvement nor any professional growth. They play and talk the same way they have done so since their first day. The weaknesses remain, the standard response to simple questions remain. Absolutely boring and brainless.