Pakistan spinner Sajid Khan said that he and Saud Shakeel managed to fool England spinners Rehan Ahmed and Shoaib Bashir with the help of Urdu on Day 2 of the third Test in Rawalpindi. He claimed that they spoke loudly while discussing their plans to misguide the rival spinners.
Shakeel and Sajid added 72 runs for the ninth wicket to take Pakistan’s score to 344 runs. Shakeel amassed 134, while Sajib managed an unbeaten 48 runs.
The two batters were heard talking loudly about their planning in the 86th over of Pakistan’s innings. Saud wanted Sajid to play the remaining balls of Bashir’s over defensively. However, he hit a six over mid wicket.
Sajid said that it was a deliberate attempt to fool Pakistani-origin spinners, Rehan and Bashir.
“We were talking loudly in Urdu to fool Rehan and Shoaib. We wanted them to hear that we are looking for singles. When they heard us, they brought the field up, allowing us to go for big shots. Saud told me to go for my strokes.”
In the next over, bowled by Bashir, Sajid slammed two maximums and a boundary to take 19 runs.
However, Rehan Ahmed hit out at Sajid for his rubbish claims.
Rehan said that Sajid Khan made up a story for the media.
“He didn’t fool me, and he just said it for the media. I didn’t hear what he was trying to say in the middle. I was aware that he would go for big shots. He batted well and hit some big blows, but he didn’t fool Bashir or me,” he said.