Pakistan’s offspinner Sajid Khan has emerged as a thorn in England’s side, not only with his on-field antics but also with his cunning tactics. Beyond his signature mustache twirls and thigh thumps, Khan has found a novel way to unsettle the English: exploiting the bilingualism of their spin bowlers.
During the fourth ball of the 86th over, Khan and teammate Saud Shakeel engaged in a seemingly innocuous conversation in Urdu, unaware that the stump mic was capturing their words. However, Khan’s true intentions were far from innocent.
“We were only doing that [speaking loudly in Urdu] to deceive the bowlers,” Khan revealed. “Rehan and Shoaib understand Urdu, so to fool them, we wanted them to hear we were only looking for the single.”
The strategy worked to perfection. The English bowlers, assuming Pakistan was playing defensively, adjusted their field accordingly. This gave Khan the opportunity to unleash his power, launching Shoaib Bashir over midwicket for a six.
Khan’s deception continued in the following over, where he plundered two more sixes and a boundary off Bashir. The English bowlers, now thoroughly bamboozled, spread the field out, only to see Khan clear the rope with ease.
England’s spin bowler Rehan Ahmed, while acknowledging Khan’s impressive innings, dismissed the claims of deception. “He didn’t fool me at all, he just said it for the media,” Ahmed said. “I didn’t even hear him.”
Despite Ahmed’s denial, Khan’s tactics have undoubtedly played a role in Pakistan’s growing lead. By exploiting the language barrier, Khan has created confusion and doubt in the minds of the English bowlers, giving Pakistan a significant advantage.
