'Pak PM gave a Rs 25 lakh cheque, but it bounced': Saeed Ajmal clip goes viral post Asia Cup
In the now-viral clip from a 2023 podcast with YouTuber Nadir Ali, Ajmal recalled the moment Pakistan's victorious squad was promised a handsome bonus by then-Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani.
- Sep 30, 2025,
- Updated Sep 30, 2025 7:53 AM IST
As India celebrated its record ninth Asia Cup title with a Rs 21 crore reward from the BCCI, a bitter memory from across the border stole the spotlight.
A resurfaced video of former Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal has gone viral, revealing that members of Pakistan’s 2009 T20 World Cup-winning team were handed PKR 25 lakh reward cheques by the Prime Minister—only for the cheques to bounce.
In the now-viral clip from a 2023 podcast with YouTuber Nadir Ali, Ajmal recalled the moment Pakistan's victorious squad was promised a handsome bonus by then-Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani. Each player was to receive a cheque for PKR 25 lakh, a celebratory gesture for their historic T20 World Cup win.
But what seemed like a proud reward turned into national embarrassment.
“We were given the cheques… but they bounced,” Ajmal said bluntly. “I was shocked that even a government cheque could bounce. They told us the PCB chairman would handle it—but he said it was the government’s promise, not theirs. In the end, all we got was the prize money from the ICC.”
The video resurfaced just hours after India’s dominant win over Pakistan in the 2025 Asia Cup final in Dubai, triggering sharp comparisons between the two cricketing nations—not just on the field, but in how they treat their champions.
While Indian players were showered with accolades and a Rs 21 crore team bonus, Pakistan’s World Cup stars were left chasing rubber cheques.
Ajmal, who took 12 wickets during Pakistan’s 2009 title run and was later ranked the No. 1 ODI bowler, revealed he never received any financial recognition for his individual milestones either. “I was named in the ICC Team of the Year in 2012 and 2013—but there was no reward, no money. ICC doesn’t pay you for that, they just put your name on the list,” he said.
As India celebrated its record ninth Asia Cup title with a Rs 21 crore reward from the BCCI, a bitter memory from across the border stole the spotlight.
A resurfaced video of former Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal has gone viral, revealing that members of Pakistan’s 2009 T20 World Cup-winning team were handed PKR 25 lakh reward cheques by the Prime Minister—only for the cheques to bounce.
In the now-viral clip from a 2023 podcast with YouTuber Nadir Ali, Ajmal recalled the moment Pakistan's victorious squad was promised a handsome bonus by then-Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani. Each player was to receive a cheque for PKR 25 lakh, a celebratory gesture for their historic T20 World Cup win.
But what seemed like a proud reward turned into national embarrassment.
“We were given the cheques… but they bounced,” Ajmal said bluntly. “I was shocked that even a government cheque could bounce. They told us the PCB chairman would handle it—but he said it was the government’s promise, not theirs. In the end, all we got was the prize money from the ICC.”
The video resurfaced just hours after India’s dominant win over Pakistan in the 2025 Asia Cup final in Dubai, triggering sharp comparisons between the two cricketing nations—not just on the field, but in how they treat their champions.
While Indian players were showered with accolades and a Rs 21 crore team bonus, Pakistan’s World Cup stars were left chasing rubber cheques.
Ajmal, who took 12 wickets during Pakistan’s 2009 title run and was later ranked the No. 1 ODI bowler, revealed he never received any financial recognition for his individual milestones either. “I was named in the ICC Team of the Year in 2012 and 2013—but there was no reward, no money. ICC doesn’t pay you for that, they just put your name on the list,” he said.