Saeed Ajmal responds after Rana Naved claims that players underperformed against New Zealand in 2009

Former Pakistan pacer Rana Naved hogged the headlines recently after stating that a number of senior players deliberately underperformed during the 2009 ODI series against New Zealand in the UAE. Rana’s comments raised a few eyebrows as he said that a few players underperformed just because they were unhappy with Younis Khan’s captaincy.

Naved also claimed he pulled out of the tour because he didn’t want to be a part of the conspiracy by seniors against the then skipper Younis Khan. The pacer also said that he even told Younis Khan about the conspiracy at that time.

Veteran Pakistan off-spinner, who was also a part of the side at that time, has rubbished Rana Naved’s claims. Ajmal, in contrary to Naved’s allegations, said that no Pakistan player had underperformed during the series.

“I can say with conviction that no Pakistan player indulged in any activity that led to any match being lost just so that Younis Khan could be removed as captain. I played in those games and I know that no such thing happened as we all played to win the game,” said Ajmal in an interview with pakpassion.net.

Ajmal further clarified that the players had requested the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to advise Younis Khan to have a better attitude with his teammates. Ajmal also lauded Younis Khan and termed him as a ‘great man’ who had performed for his national side. According to Ajmal, the players would have never dreamt of undermining his captaincy.

Saeed Ajmal says he respects Younis Khan

“I am not sure why Rana Naved feels that there was some conspiracy against Younis Khan. He was an aggressive captain who played with that mindset and in the previous tour of South Africa, we had requested the PCB to advise him to have a better attitude with his team-mates,” he said.

“But, to say that a match was deliberately lost to remove Younis Khan as captain simply did not happen. Younis Khan is a great man who has performed really well for Pakistan. I respect him and believe we as players would never dream of undermining his captaincy by any means,” concluded Ajmal.

In an impressive national career spanning over 35 Tests, 113 ODIs and 64 T20Is, Ajmal scalped 78, 184 and 85 wickets respectively. Ajmal was known for his lethal ‘doosra’ which used to baffle many world-class players.