The social media sphere has been going gaga lately over Pakistani off-spinner Saeed Ajmal. The cricketer has been in the news for quite some time, most-recently thanks to Englishman Stuart Broad’s unsportsman-like tweet, that proceeded to poke fun at Ajmal’s unique bowling style.
Now, it appears the record-breaking cricketer is back in the spotlight after a recent exchange with leading sports website ESPN Cricinfo. In the exchange, Ajmal talks about turning down the T20 Captaincy and shows his support for fellow teammate and current Captain Misbah-ul-Haq.
According to Ajmal, fulfilling the role of Captain is not quite his cup of tea. Expressing his desire to stay “relaxed” on the field, Ajmal was offered the Captain’s armband after the resignation of Mohammad Hafeez in April. Hafeez quit following the team’s dismal performance at this year’s World T20, and selectors are still looking for a suitable replacement.
Ajmal went on to praise Misbah’s performance as Captain, claiming his leadership was even better than that of Pakistani cricket legend Imran Khan. He further went on to criticize the unfair treatment of Misbah at the hands of the selectors committee saying that the Captain is among the team’s leading run getters.
It is perhaps this criticism that has Ajmal reluctant to take over the reins. Known for being more vocal than other players on the team, he was quick to express his displeasure at the current scenario. “Each time we lost a match, people forget about his (Misbah’s) magnificent contributions. They start demanding that he be dropped. I really fail to understand this.”