Former Pakistan spinner Saqlain Mushtaq has publicly challenged his ex-teammate Tauseef Ahmed to release a voice message that Tauseef claims to have received from him. This challenge comes after Tauseef accused Saqlain of favouritism and questioned the coaching culture within Pakistan cricket.
The dispute escalated after Tauseef, during a podcast hosted by former Pakistan batter Fawad Alam, referred to a phone call and a subsequent recording involving Saqlain. Saqlain denied the portrayal of their conversation and demanded that Tauseef make the alleged recording public to validate his claims.
Addressing Tauseef directly, Saqlain wrote, “Mr. Tauseef Ahmed, you said you have my voice message—prove it. Release it publicly.” He emphasized that his initial contact with Tauseef was out of respect, considering him a senior figure, and accused Tauseef of misrepresenting the situation. Saqlain added that he possesses a full record of their exchange and urged, “Release yours, and I’ll release mine. Let the public hear the truth.”
This confrontation followed Tauseef’s remarks on favouritism within Pakistan cricket, particularly regarding the treatment of certain players and the appointments of former international cricketers to coaching roles. During his discussion with Alam, Tauseef appeared to allude to Saqlain when criticizing the excessive support some players receive and questioned why some coaches continue to favour specific individuals despite their performances.
When asked if he was referring to Saqlain and Shadab Khan, Tauseef confirmed. He also mentioned receiving a phone call requesting him to speak on behalf of a player, which he ignored, later receiving a recording of the conversation. However, he did not disclose this recording publicly during the podcast.
Saqlain’s response directly challenges Tauseef’s account, demanding the alleged voice message be released so the public can hear the conversation firsthand.
Beyond this dispute, Tauseef has voiced broader criticisms of Pakistan cricket’s coaching, selection, and player development systems. He argued that former great players should not automatically be granted coaching positions solely based on their playing careers, noting that some have struggled after transitioning into coaching roles.
“I’m not saying all of my great players, but those great players who played good cricket — they came here and failed in coaching,” Tauseef said. He also suggested that former teammates sometimes continue to support each other despite underwhelming performances. Nevertheless, he clarified that his critiques were not against former players per se, but rather about performance. “If you’re doing well, then fine, we will praise you too,” he stated.
Regarding one player under discussion, Tauseef acknowledged witnessing his performances firsthand while working with Islamabad United and expressed no hesitation in recognizing his talent.
Tauseef further criticized the limited opportunities afforded to younger players, emphasizing the need for teams to invest time in developing inexperienced cricketers instead of repeatedly relying on established names. He cited the example of Sufiyan, questioning why a young player would be dropped after a single poor performance. “What is Sufiyan’s fault?” he asked. “We are not saying keep playing him regardless. Keep him with the team.”
He argued that young players benefit from remaining within the squad to gain experience, especially during international tours. Tauseef also pointed out that coaches often hesitate to take risks on less experienced players, which results in talented bench players sitting idle. “If your bench is sitting empty behind you, this is the reason,” he remarked.
Taking inexperienced players on international tours, he suggested, exposes them to higher levels of competition and accelerates their development.
Additionally, Tauseef addressed criticism surrounding another player, Sajid, emphasizing that technical aspects of a cricketer’s game should be evaluated carefully before making broad judgments about their abilities. While acknowledging that major changes can be challenging once a player has established a style, he noted that coaches can still work on minor technical adjustments. Alam concurred, describing these as “minor” tweaks.
The ongoing public exchange between Tauseef and Saqlain has now placed the alleged voice message at the heart of their disagreement, with Saqlain insisting on its release and expressing readiness to publish his own record of the conversation. “Release yours, and I’ll release mine,” Saqlain reiterated. “Let the public hear the truth.”
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