Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman want India and Pakistan to play cricket again

Pakistani cricketer Saeed Ajmal speaks with media representatives after a training camp in Lahore on October 1, 2013.

Pakistan spinners Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman have come out and called for the authorities to intervene so as to allow the two nations of India and Pakistan to resume cricketing ties, reports Zee News.

“Such is the importance of Indo-Pak contests that even if both the teams play in a third country their match attracts big crowds,” Ajmal said in an interview.

“So I see no reason for India and Pakistan not to be playing more regularly against each other. Politics should not dictate sporting ties between the two nations. Cricket has always helped in improving relations between the two countries,” he said.

Ajmal is seemingly upset at the fact that he has not had an opportunity to play a Test match against India during his career.

“I made my debut against India in the Asia Cup in 2008 but I am yet to play a Test against India. I would like to see relations improve and both sides playing regularly against each other,” he said.

He also did not like the fact that Pakistani players were banned from participating in the IPL.

“What I don`t understand is when players from the world over can be allowed to play in the IPL then why not Pakistani players?

“I would like to test my skills against the best in this league,” Ajmal said.

Pakistan’s lead spinner also said that he enjoyed bowling to Sachin Tendulkar in the few opportunities that were presented to him over the years.

“As a spinner you grow when you play against top batsmen like Tendulkar and his wicket carries high value.”

The two bowlers went on to say that though they have played against all the other cricketing nations, the fact that they had not got an opportunity to test their skills against India, who had some of the best batsmen in the world, was a source of disappointment for them.

“It would be a good challenge playing against India because they play spin well and one would like to see how we can fare against them. As a spinner I relish the challenge of battling against batsmen who play spinners well,” Rehman said.

Rehman believes that a resumption of ties would help both countries mutually and revive interest in Test cricket as well as help blood youngsters.