Saeed Ajmal told to apologise to Dav Whatmore

Ajmal pictured during a training session

Pakistan cricket ace Saeed Ajmal has apologised to his country’s coach Dav Whatmore for criticizing him in public and stating that the team would have performed better if their coach wasn’t foreign, Yahoo! Sport reports.

“There is no difference, just that we are paying more to him, otherwise there is no difference,” Ajmal told Pakistan’s Geo Super channel when asked about the influence of having a foreign coach.

The 35-year-old had to face some language barriers and expressed his fondness towards former coaches Waqar Younis and Mohsin Khan. Whatmore took to social networking site Twitter to say that he was ‘deeply upset and hurt’ by the comments.

Pakistan’s Cricket Board went into damage control mode and ordered Ajmal to issue an apology to Whatmore.

“I immediately went up to Dav and apologised and explained the context and circumstances in which I made certain remarks,” Ajmal said in the statement after his meeting with the coach.

“Dav has worked tirelessly with the Pakistan team and it would be extremely unfair not to recognise his services.

“I enjoy very good relations with Dav and am hopeful of continuing this in the coming series.”

Pakistan face South Africa in two Tests, five one-day internationals and two Twenty20 matches from October 14 in the United Arab Emirates.