FAISALABAD: Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal has threatened to burn the equipment of his academy if the Faisalabad Agriculture University did not reopen the facility on which Ajmal has claimed to have spent Rs. 60 million.
Ajmal claimed, that he was allotted farm land for academy two years ago by the UAF.
He said that there were about 400 male and female young players of 10 teams registered at his academy including handicapped and blind players, who availed the coaching and practice facilities.
Saeed Ajmal said that eleven months ago, he was told that due to security concerns, the cricket academy had to be closed temporarily. But now, the UAF has closed it permanently from Sunday without any prior notice.
“I have spent Rs60 million of my hard-earned money in this academy, which has been forcefully closed by the administration of Agriculture University,” Ajmal told SAMAA during a protest demonstration in Faisalabad.
“I am now being asked to pack up and leave the academy,” he said.
The 38-year-old said that his sole ambition was to train youth in the academy and that he did not 'care about making money.'
“The administration is using security as an excuse to prevent my entry. Am I making bombers in the academy,” said the furious Ajmal.
Ajmal said that his next protest would be featuring fellow cricketers also.
Responding to Ajmal’s accusation, Iqrar Ahmed Khan, Vice Chancellor of Agriculture University, said that the spinner could only use the premises of the academy and did not own it.
“The land belongs to the university. It cannot be allotted to Saeed Ajmal,” he said.
He further said that not a penny was spent by Ajmal on this academy.
Ajmal has taken 178 Test and 184 ODI wickets for Pakistan before he lost his place due to his bowling action being declared illegal.
The off-break bowler did fix his action later but still has not made it back to the national side.