Saeed Ajmal in line for a shock return to Pakistan team for World Cup
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Version 0 of 1. Saeed Ajmal could be set for a stunning return to the Pakistan team in time for the World Cup. The off-spinner’s suspect bowling action was cleared by the International Cricket Council on Saturday and even though the withdrawal from the tournament of Mohammad Hafeez with an ankle injury on Sunday led to Nasir Jamshed being called up in his place, there is still the tantalising prospect of a recall for Ajmal, who has taken 178 Test and 183 one-day international wickets. There are still questions over whether he can be as effective with a remodelled action, especially as he has not played cricket since August, but given the 37-year-old is still the No1-ranked bowler in ODIs, the temptation for Pakistan to bring him into their squad as an injury replacement must be huge. This despite the fact that, if he had replaced Hafeez, he would have been coming in for an opening batsman. The news of Jamshed’s call-up cooled those hopes. Yet speaking in Sydney just hours before Hafeez was ruled out of the tournament, Misbah-ul-Haq, Pakistan’s captain, hinted at a return for Ajmal. “There’s a lot of ifs and buts because he hasn’t played any cricket yet,” Misbah said. “Let’s see how it goes in the next week. He’s been bowling a lot of deliveries every day. What is the problem is that he’s not playing any competitive cricket – that’s the major issue for him and the team management. We haven’t sat together; let’s see what he has to do.” Whether Ajmal plays in the World Cup or not, he will be welcomed back at Worcestershire next summer as he attempts to rebuild his career. Ajmal took 63 wickets in nine matches last season to help bowl the New Road club to promotion in the County Championship. Speaking at the end of last summer, Steve Rhodes, the Worcestershire coach, said: “Saeed’s got to take one thing at a time and at the moment he’s got to get retested and once he passes – hopefully he passes – then he’s back to playing and that’s when we can pick up the pieces. “We want him to be playing for us. This is a really tough time for him. We support him in his efforts to get back to playing cricket. He’s a very determined character and if anybody can get back he can. “It won’t be easy and he’s well aware of that but hopefully if we can get him back playing for Worcestershire again then he’s a terrific bowler and he will be a help to us getting some victories.” |