Saeed Ajmal's first class cricketing career spans more than fourteen years, but I doubt if he's suffered a more painful days cricket than he did on Friday 14th May 2010.

It's a day that he will remember for a long time, a day that Mike Hussey will remember for a long time and no doubt fans from both Australia and Pakistan will remember forever.

With Pakistan piling up a mammoth 191 at the Beausejour Stadium in St Lucia and the Aussies needing 48 runs from from only18 deliveries, Pakistan had one foot in what would have been their third Twenty/20 World Cup final.

As the 18th over was about to commence, Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi threw the cherry to the tried and trusted Saeed Ajmal, a bowler who Afridi had the utmost faith in, a bowler who it seemed had nerves of steel, a bowler who was ever reliable and could handle the responsibility of bowling in the death overs, just as he had displayed a few days earlier against the South Africans. The 18th over from Saeed Ajmal yielded the Australians 12 runs off the bat and 2 leg byes. The match was still in the grasp of the men in green.

The 19th over from Mohammad Aamer gave the Australians further hope with sixteen runs off it and it was down to the 32 year old Ajmal to attempt to contain Johnson and in particular Mike Hussey in the final over.

What ensued in the last over the match was sheer ecstasy for Australians around the globe and absolute pain for Pakistanis. An inspired Mike Hussey led the Australians to the final against England, and as the Australians celebrated, Saeed Ajmal could be seen head bowed, cap in hand and almost collapsed on the floor as he was consoled by team mates.

The defeat against the Australians was only a few days ago and wounds it would seem are still very raw. Speaking exclusively to PakPassion.net Saeed Ajmal described his emotions as Mike Hussey smacked the matchwinning six and during the aftermath of the defeat.

"When Hussey hit the last six I was absolutely heartbroken, I am still heartbroken. It was a very emotional and difficult time for me. My team mates all came up to me and consoled me and told me not to worry, but I was very upset. The pain is there, when you lose a game of this magnitude it hurts really badly".

Ajmal though stated that the support of his team mates depite the cruel defeat had really helped him. "All of the squad, from the players to the coaches to the backroom staff have said to me that I wasn't to blame for the defeat and they have all said that we played as a unit, we won matches as a unit and we all take responsibility as a unit for the defeat. There is no question of anyone pointing the finger at any individuals".

Ajmal explained to PakPassion.net that it was a pre-planned strategy for him to bowl the 18th and final over of the innings irrespective of who was at the crease.

"I had bowled at the death against South Africa a few days earlier and it had worked for the team. Our pre match plan was for me to bowl the 18th and last over once again. I had no problems at all with Shahid (Afridi)giving me the same responsibility against Australia. I wanted the responsibility on my shoulders and I wanted to win the match for my country".

Hussey smashed Ajmal for three sixes and a four in the final over and the 32 year old off spinner conceded that Hussey deserves a lot of credit for his innings. "It was an amazing innings, you have to give Hussey a lot of credit for playing that sort of innings in such an important match at such a crucial time".

Ajmal who boasts an economy rate of only 6.24 in Twenty over cricket stated that his gameplan was to try and bowl yorkers at Hussey and Johnson.

"The first delivery was perfect, it was what I had planned, it was a perfect yorker to Johnson and it only went for a single. However then the wind seemed to pick up and I was bowling into the wind which made me lose my line and length. I dragged the next delivery down and instead of bowling yorkers into the blockhole for the remaining deliveries as I tried to fire the ball in at the batsman, the deliveries ended up being quick and length deliveries which is what Hussey was hoping for. He was then able to get the elevation on the deliveries, instead of having to dig them out".

So what of the future for Ajmal, how does he intend to get over the final over in St Lucia? "The best way for me to get over this match is to start playing cricket again, get the ball in my hand and to start bowling again. Thankfully the Asia Cup is not far away and I am looking forward to playing in that tournament in Sri Lanka. I have faith in my ability and I am confident that I can bounce back after the match in St Lucia".

So would Saeed be prepared to bowl the final over of a twenty/20 match or a one day international match in a tight situation ? "Of course I would" came the reply.