Saeed Ajmal apologises for outburst against PCB, ICC
Saeed Ajmal has apologised for his remarks against the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Mid-Day reports. The off-spinner conveyed his thoughts in a written apology in response to the show-cause issued to him by the PCB after his controversial comments to a television channel based in Pakistan.
Speaking to Dunya News, Ajmal had launched a scathing attack on the sport’s governing body of only targeting off-spinners when it came to the issue of suspect bowling actions but at the same time accused Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh of possessing an illegal bowling action.
He also took a dig at the PCB claiming that none of the officials apart from chief selector Haroon Rasheed had contacted him after he was dropped from the Pakistan squad following the series against Bangladesh in April.
Ajmal was making his comeback to international cricket after remodelling his action and the wily off-spinner felt that he was not being supported in his efforts to make a successful return.
The comments had outraged the PCB who issued a show-cause notice asking Ajmal to explain his comments while they also suspended the Grade B central contract handed out to the 39-year-old in September.
"I am disappointed what Saeed said recently and we have taken a minimum action against him by suspending [his contract] and held his monthly retainer. We have also asked him to write to us about why he talked like that. We have always supported him, helped him throughout in his tough time and even hired Saqlain Mushtaq to work on his action," PCB chief Shaharyar Khan had said, handing out the punishment.รข??
Mid-Day cites a source as claiming that Ajmal has forwarded a written apology to the PCB in which he expressed his regret over the remarks, especially the manner in which he targetted the PCB.
He has assured that he would be more careful in the future while talking to the media and claimed that the outburst was a result of being under a lot of stress with regards to the controversies regarding the cricket academy run by Ajmal at the University of Agriculture in Faisalabad.
“He has also said that he was under a lot of pressure and stress because of his dispute with the university of agriculture in Faisalabad over the future of his academy there," Mid-Day quoted the source as saying.
Ajmal would be hoping that the apology, as well as impressive performances in the Bangladesh Premier League, will open a way back to the national team.