'Saeed bhai you aren't supposed to play too seriously': When Sachin Tendulkar told Ajmal to 'have fun' in charity match

Saeed Ajmal recalled that Sachin Tendulkar came running and told him to enjoy the game as it was a charity match and more funds will be collected the longer the match goes.

Former Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal recalled the interaction he had with Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar during the Rest of the World XI vs MCC in 2014.

Sachin Tendulkar (L), Saeed Ajmal (R) during 2014 MCC Charity match(HT Collage)

It was a charity match in which some of the biggest names of the cricketing worlds were playing. While ROW XI were filled with the likes of Adam Gilchrist, Virender Sehwag, Kevin Pietersen, Yuvraj Singh, Shahid Afridi and Shane Warne, the likes of Brian Lara, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar were playing for MCC.

In the first innings, ROW XI went on to bat, and MCC bowler Saeed Ajmal picked up four wickets quickly as ROW XI went five wickets down for 68 at the end of 12 overs.

Ajmal, in a video interview with Cricket Pakistan, recalled that Tendulkar came running and told him to enjoy the match as it is a charity match and more funds will be collected the longer the match goes.

"It was an MCC match. It's supposed to be a friendly match. The players are required to spend some time in the middle because the longer the game goes on, the more funds will be collected. When the match started, I picked up four wickets in four overs," Ajmal said.

"So, Sachin Tendulkar came running to me and he said, 'Saeed bhai, you are not supposed to play this match too seriously. This is a charity match. This is for the people who have come here to enjoy, they will have food, drinks. This match has to not get over before 6:30'," he further added.

"So I told him I was just bowling well to play in a positive way. So he said that 'I agree with you, but this is a charity match, so funds have to be collected. So enjoy the match, play cricket and have fun'. So that's what happened," he signed off.

Tendulkar's words perhaps did the trick as Yuvraj Singh smashed 132 runs to take ROW XI to 293/7 in the match. With Aaron Finch smashed 181 runs in 145 balls, MCC chased down the total in 45.5 overs with 7 wickets to spare.