Earlier in the week, English bowler Stuart Broad took a jab at Pakistani spinner Saeed Ajmal’s bowling action on the popular micro-blogging site Twitter. It all started when former England Captain Michael Vaughan tweeted a picture of Ajmal bowling with a caption ‘You are allowed 15 degrees of flex in your delivery swing…. #justsaying’.
Broad responded sarcastically via the popular micro-blogging site, claiming the photo could be a ‘fake’ and that ‘Bowlers can bowl very differently in a lab while being tested compared to needing wickets in the middle’.
The unsportsman-like remarks have apparently hurt the sentiments of both the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and superstar cricketer Saeed Ajmal. If reports are to be believed, the PCB has lodged a formal complaint with the England Cricket Board (ECB) regarding the snarky comments. 36-year-old Ajmal has taken a stunning 169 test wickets and 182 in one-day internationals – more than any other spin bowler in Pakistan’s history.
Ajmal previously had his bowling action cleared by the International Cricket Council (ICC) when he was questioned during an impressive stint with the Worcestershire County Cricket team. He recorded his best performance with them taking 7 wickets for 19 runs when bowling against Essex County.
The spinner was reportedly disturbed by the comments and questioned Broad’s professionalism. The PCB is demanding an apology and claim that if the ICC has cleared Ajmal; he certainly should not be under any scrutiny from fellow players.