Published 17:32 IST, April 13th 2020
Saqlain Mushtaq lauds Anil Kumble for his help, calls him 'gem of a person'; Here's why
Former Pakistani spinner Saqlain Mushtaq lauded Indian spin legend, Anil Kumble, for lending a helping hand to him when it mattered the most.
Saqlain Mushtaq has been one of the finest spinners to have represented Pakistan at the highest level. He has won many matches for his country by bamboozling the best batsmen in the business. Recently, Saqlain has revealed how Indian legend Anil Kumble whom he fondly calls 'Anil Bhai' had helped him when he badly needed it.
'Gem of a person': Saqlain Mushtaq
During a recent interaction with Sportstar, the former spinner said that when he and Kumble were in England, he had told India's most successful spinner that there are not many good opticians back home due to which he was struggling. He then asked Kumble whether he could suggest some ophthalmologists to which he obliged and advised him to consult a person named Dr. Bharat Rugani.
The Karnataka cricketer had also told Mushtaq that even he and the former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly consult that ophthalmologist often after which Anil gave him the contact number of that doctor. Saqlain then visited that doctor in London's in Harley Street.
Meanwhile, the ex-Pakistani spinner also added that after getting his eyes checked, the doctor gave him lenses. Saqlain Mushtaq further added that he had a cataract and that the vision power was cylindrical and the eyes were weak as well and that even though he had consulted many doctors in Pakistan, none could treat it.
The Pakistan spin icon then thanked Anil Kumble for helping him to get in touch with the doctor because of which he was able to recover and also called the third-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket a 'gem of a person'.
Impact of COVID-19 on sporting events
All the major sporting events have either been postponed or cancelled due to the global pandemic. The big global events like the UEFA Euro Cup 2020 and the Tokyo Olympic Games have been postponed to the summer of 2021 while the showpiece event of world tennis i.e. the Wimbledon 2020 has been cancelled for the first time since World War II.
Coming back to cricket, the semi-final and final matches of the ongoing edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) have been postponed as well. The bilateral ODI series between India and South Africa have been rescheduled at a later date whereas, the IPL 2020 that was supposed to get underway on March 29 has tentatively been postponed to April 15.
Updated 13:56 IST, April 14th 2020