'Hume English nahi ati, pur jo...' - Ex-Pakistan bowler says he was judged more on language skills than bowling

Saeed Ajmal is undoubtedly one of the finest spinners who ever played for Pakistan. Before playing his last international game in 2015, the former off-spinner appeared in 35 Tests, 113 ODIs, and 64 T20Is. In these matches, riding on his brilliance, Ajmal scalped 448 international wickets to his name. He had proved his importance for the men in green on various occasions, be it an international tournament or a bilateral series.

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Recently, the Punjabi guy has come up with a revelation when people used to judge on the basis of language rather than assessing his bowling skills. He said that people reckoned English as a must-needed skill apart from excelling as a player in the game.

I told them I will do what I want - Saeed Ajmal

“Jab mai world number one bana, mujhe bade bando ne kaha ki tu English sikh le, maine kaha meri marzi bhai, mai jo marzi karu. (When I became world number one, some people asked me to learn English and I told them I will do what I want)," said Ajmal in a Crickwick podcast.

Subsequently, Ajmal also iterated about his love for his mother tongue and said that he is not shy of using his mother tongue during an interview or a conversation.

“Agar apko meri mother language mai interview karna hai to karo, aur mai shy nahi hu aur na hi hona chiye.” (If you want to speak in my mother language, then go ahead. I wasn’t shy at all for speaking Urdu.). Hume English nahi ati, pur jo hum kar rahey hai, duniya dekh rahi hai, I am world number one," he added later.

“I am world number one, the world will come to me, I have no reason to go and ask for interviews,” added Ajmal. English language, I hate that word," the 45-year-old concluded.

Notably, there have been a lot of instances when Pakistan cricketers got judged on the grounds of their English speaking skills.

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