Pakistani middle-order batter Iftikhar Ahmed has clarified his choice to participate in the National T20 rather than the Abu Dhabi T10 League.

Despite being signed by the Bangla Tigers for the tournament starting on December 28, the 33-year-old opted to play domestic cricket for the Peshawar region.

Iftikhar explained at the National T20 that he had a contract with the T10 league but cancelled it to play domestic cricket in Pakistan.

He emphasized that his domestic cricket achievements led to his selection for Pakistan, and that playing for Pakistan has earned him respect.

Therefore, as a player and a professional, he believes he should also respect domestic cricketers and Pakistan.

The National T20, featuring 18 teams, is currently underway at four venues.

The group stage games, which will finish on November 28, are currently taking place. The Super Eight stage will start on December 1.

On the other hand, eight teams will compete in the Abu Dhabi T10 League 2023, with each team participating in a round-robin format during the group stage.

The teams include the New York Strikers, Deccan Gladiators, Northern Warriors, Morrisville Samp Army, Delhi Bulls, Team Abu Dhabi, Chennai Braves, and Bangla Tigers.

The group stage will be followed by Qualifier 1 (Team 1 vs Team 2), Eliminator (Team 3 vs Team 4), Qualifier 2 (Winner Eliminator vs Loser Qualifier 1), and the ultimate Final.

All matches of the tournament will be held at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. The Deccan Gladiators triumphed in the previous edition of the Abu Dhabi T10 League, defeating the New York Strikers by 37 runs in the final.