As India celebrated its document ninth Asia Cup title with a Rs 21 crore reward from the BCCI, a bitter reminiscence from throughout the border stole the highlight.
A resurfaced video of former Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal has gone viral, revealing that members of Pakistan’s 2009 T20 World Cup-winning group had been handed PKR 25 lakh reward cheques by the Prime Minister—just for the cheques to bounce.
Within the now-viral clip from a 2023 podcast with YouTuber Nadir Ali, Ajmal recalled the second Pakistan’s victorious squad was promised a good-looking bonus by then-Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani. Every participant was to obtain a cheque for PKR 25 lakh, a celebratory gesture for his or her historic T20 World Cup win.
However what appeared like a proud reward become nationwide embarrassment.
“We got the cheques… however they bounced,” Ajmal stated bluntly. “I used to be shocked that even a authorities cheque might bounce. They informed us the PCB chairman would deal with it—however he stated it was the federal government’s promise, not theirs. In the long run, all we acquired was the prize cash from the ICC.”
The video resurfaced simply hours after India’s dominant win over Pakistan within the 2025 Asia Cup remaining in Dubai, triggering sharp comparisons between the 2 cricketing nations—not simply on the sector, however in how they deal with their champions.
Whereas Indian gamers had been showered with accolades and a Rs 21 crore group bonus, Pakistan’s World Cup stars had been left chasing rubber cheques.
Ajmal, who took 12 wickets throughout Pakistan’s 2009 title run and was later ranked the No. 1 ODI bowler, revealed he by no means obtained any monetary recognition for his particular person milestones both. “I used to be named within the ICC Crew of the 12 months in 2012 and 2013—however there was no reward, no cash. ICC doesn’t pay you for that, they simply put your title on the checklist,” he stated.
