"My dad left the stadium" - Rehan Ahmed recalls England plundering over 800 runs in PAK vs ENG 2024 1st Test
England spinner Rehan Ahmed has revealed that his father left the Multan Cricket Stadium after they hit a staggering 823/7 against Pakistan in the first Test of the ongoing series. The youngster revealed that his father doesn't want Pakistan to lose but hides that fact.
While Rehan was born in Nottingham, his father Naeem was born in Pakistan. However, he shifted to England in 2001 with his wife. Rehan's brothers Raheem and Farhan also started their cricketing careers on English soil, but haven't played for the national team yet.
The 20-year-old recently disclosed that his dad doesn't want any team to do well against Pakistan to the extent that the latter loses. He said to BBC Test Match Special:
"In that first Test when we got 800 against Pakistan, my dad left the stadium and went back home, four hours away, because he couldn’t see his team getting anything. He tries to hide that he doesn’t care, but I can tell that he doesn’t want his team to lose. He always want us to do well, but he doesn’t want us to do that well where his team ends up losing."
The total of 823/7 proved to be the fourth-highest in Test cricket. It was after Pakistan had posted 556, but they ended up losing by an innings and 47 runs eventually. However, the hosts leveled the series with a 152-run victory in the second Test.
"We did Friday prayers with the Pakistan team" - Rehan Ahmed
The youngster also praised the England management and skipper Ben Stokes for allowing them to abide by their prayer timings and even postponing team meetings. The leggie added:
"Baz, Stokesy and the management team have always put prayers and doing whatever we need to do first, then cricket comes after. We can’t ask for anything more. We’re forever grateful for that. We did Friday prayers with the Pakistan team.
"We went to their hotel and Rizwan led the prayer. The week before that we went to the Mosque. England rearranged the team meeting for a couple of hours to make sure we could do our prayers, then come back."
England have named three spinners in their XI for the third Test in Rawalpindi, including Rehan, starting on October 24. The tourists are targetting their second consecutive away series win over Pakistan.