Saeed Ajmal hit back at England star Stuart Broad on Sunday in a furious war of words over the Pakistan off-spinner’s bowling action.
Ajmal was angered by a Twitter exchange between England pace bowler Broad and former England captain Michael Vaughan which contained barbs after the Pakistani’s style of delivery.
Broad was responding to Vaughan’s tweet, which attached a freeze-frame picture of Ajmal bowling and read: “You are allowed 15 degrees of flex in your delivery swing …”
Broad replied: “This has to be a fake photo?!”
He then added: “Bowlers can bowl very differently in a lab while being tested compared to needing wickets in the middle.”
Ajmal, who took a career-best seven for 19 for Worcestershire against Essex last week, was irked by the insults and told Pakpassion.net: “Broad’s dig hurt me the most.
“Former players will sit in the commentary box or wherever else and say some things for attention, but you don’t expect such things from a fellow professional cricketer who is still playing cricket.
“It was disappointing to read Broad’s comments, but we are dealing with it and we hope to get an explanation from the ECB about Broad’s comments.”
It is not the first time Ajmal, whose action has previously been cleared by the International Cricket Council, has found himself under fire for his bowling style.
Two years ago former England captain Bob Willis queried Ajmal’s action on television during Pakistan’s Test series victory over England in the United Arab Emirates.
