Saeed Ajmal, a former exceptional Pakistani spinner, had a remarkable international career, being recognized as one of the world’s finest bowlers. With 447 wickets in 212 matches across all cricket formats, he consistently troubled batsmen with his deceptive variations. He even achieved the pinnacle of success by attaining the top rankings in ODIs and T20Is, earning the prestigious title of the world’s number one bowler.
However, Ajmal’s cricketing journey took an unexpected turn when he faced a ban imposed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2014. Recently, he reflected on his career and expressed his belief that if he had played for the Indian cricket team, he could have amassed an astonishing 1,000 wickets across all formats. This statement reflects his unwavering confidence in his skills and the impact he envisioned making on the game, given different circumstances.
Regarding his ban, Ajmal shared his thoughts, expressing that he believed the authorities should have taken action against him much earlier, particularly during his debut in 2009. He felt that they intervened only after he had already established himself as one of the most formidable bowlers in international cricket.
“They should have put a stop to me in 2009. But they allowed me to continue playing. It was only after I had claimed 448 wickets that they realized they needed to find a way to halt me, and that’s when they took the actions they did. I was at the pinnacle of my career as the world’s number one bowler when the ban was imposed,” he added.