Ikram Ali Khil - Afghanistan wicket-keeper

[MenInG]

Afghanistan’s Ikram Ali Khil drew comparisons with Sachin Tendulkar for a stunning knock against the West Indies but it is another cricketing legend who the teenager idolizes.

Fittingly, Ikram broke Tendulkar’s record for the highest score by an 18-year-old at an ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup at Headingley, where the Little Master once broke the mould as Yorkshire’s first overseas player in 1992.

The wicket-keeper’s 86 off 92 deliveries against the West Indies saw him move ahead of Tendulkar’s best of 84 which came 27 years ago.

But rather than Tendulkar, it is former Sri Lanka keeper Kumar Sangakkara who Ikram views as a role model.

“Kumar Sangakkara is always in mind and my thoughts when I am batting out there,” said Ikram, who has yet to meet the Sri Lankan great.

“His ability to rotate strike and find a boundary when needed, that is what made him a world class batsman. That is what I try to copy as much as I can.

“I’m very proud to have broken the record of a legend like Tendulkar. It makes me very happy.”

Ikram’s knock came in a losing cause as Afghanistan fell to a 23-run defeat in an entertaining encounter at Headingley.

And there was a mixture of pride and frustration at producing the highest score by an Afghan at this World Cup for the ambitious youngster.

“I’m very happy that I scored 86 runs which was the top score for Afghanistan,” added Ikram, who was part of the Afghanistan team that reached the semi-finals of the Under-19 World Cup last year.

“No one had crossed that mark in the nine games but I’m disappointed at the same time because I thought I could score a hundred. Hopefully in the games ahead I will score a hundred for Afghanistan.

“I want to work very hard at my game and become the best-ever player produced by Afghanistan. I’m very happy with the experience I have got at this World Cup. Both playing with my teammates but the opposition as well, the likes of the West Indian players, Australians, Indians, Pakistanis, they have all helped me and guided me.

“That has given me a lot of confidence and I will go home and work really hard on my game.”


ICC Media Release

 

[Ahmed216]

Is he the one who scored a hundred against pak under 19 in asia cup?? Or was it WC?

 

[MenInG]

Is he the one who scored a hundred against pak under 19 in asia cup?? Or was it WC?

Yes he was:

https://www.espncricinfo.com/series...an-cricket-council-under-19s-asia-cup-2017-18

 

[angrypathan]

He's at least 25

 

[Artaxerxes]

Afghan A is playing the first unofficial test against Bangladesh today.Half the Afghan players are under 19.Some are 17 and playing test cricket.It is not my business to worry about their ages but I wonder if they are really 17 when they say so.They don't look their ages.Does Afghanistan have such a brilliant domestic system that the majority of their players are ready to play international cricket at 16 or 17?

 

[sweep_shot]

He played a great knock against West Indies.

I think Shahzad should retire and this guy should become permanent. He is very young too.

 

[sweep_shot]

Afghan A is playing the first unofficial test against Bangladesh today.Half the Afghan players are under 19.Some are 17 and playing test cricket.It is not my business to worry about their ages but I wonder if they are really 17 when they say so.They don't look their ages.Does Afghanistan have such a brilliant domestic system that the majority of their players are ready to play international cricket at 16 or 17?

I will be surprised if they are really under 19. Even Rashid Khan doesn't look 20.

Lying about age is very lame. I don't know why people from subcontinent do it.

 

[Swashbuckler]

If he is really 18, I am the Pope. There is age fudging and then there is Afghan age fudging .

 

[shaaik]

Gulbadin backs youngster Ikram for a big future
Afghanistan captain Gulbadin Naib paid tribute to teenage wicketkeeper Ikram Alikhil as his side concluded their ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup campaign with a defeat to the West Indies.
GettyImages-1153739247
18-year old wicketkeeper just 14 short of a maiden international century against West Indies
We’ve learned lessons from our World Cup adventure, says captain
Afghanistan captain Gulbadin Naib paid tribute to teenage wicketkeeper Ikram Alikhil as his side concluded their ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup campaign with a defeat to the West Indies.

Ikram, who made his ODI debut against Ireland in March, wasn’t included in Afghanistan’s initial 15-man squad but was drafted in on the eve of the tournament after an injury to Mohammad Shahzad.

And he gave his captain a glimpse of the future with an impressive 86, sharing a 133-run second wicket partnership with Rahmat Shah as his team posted 288, their highest of the competition.

“He played very well, I’m upset he missed a century, which is a big moment for anyone,” said Gulbadin.

“He’s played a lot of cricket in the last two or three years and he proved himself here. We have a lot of youngsters like him coming forward, which is great for the team and for the country.

“We have a lot of talent back in Afghanistan. I hope the other guys, if they are given the chance, will come forward too. If you play professional cricket in each and every department you must be fit and 100 per cent. If you are not fit nothing will go well.

“We learned a lot at this World Cup and know what we need to work on to improve ourselves, we’ll take the positive things and keep trying hard. We’ve achieved so much as a team in a short time and, after the World Cup, it is not the end of our cricket.”

Afghanistan’s team will reflect on close-fought matches with India and Pakistan that could have easily gone the other way but for some more experience on cricket’s biggest stage.

And while that bodes well for the future, Gulbadin admitted disappointment with their display against the West Indies, in their ninth and final match of the tournament at Headingley.

“I’m not happy with the team performance, we didn’t really give 100 percent and our audience expects more for us,” he added.

 

[Bewal Express]

Ignore the fake age but it was a great knock