Everyone watching the Pakistan A match against Kenya today must have realized that Saeed Ajmal cannot be as effective as he used to be before the bowling action ban.
He certainly has changed his action, but that has taken away the wicket-taking ability. In fact, if he bowled against Test-playing nations the way he was bowling against Kenya, he would be hammered for plenty of runs.
Not only was he unable to spin the ball significantly, the pace of his bowling was also very slow. He looked like a novice.
It is quite clear that Saeed Ajmal will not be considered for international cricket by the selectors if he bowls like this.
With Mohammad Hafeez also banned, Pakistan will have to rely on Shahid Afridi. And if the team management chooses to play two spinners, it could be either Zulfiqar Babar or Yasir Shah. Raza Hasan still remains too young to be trusted for the mega event.
Hafeez and Ajmal will go to Chennai later this month to have their actions tested. Ajmal may get cleared by the labs, but he won’t be cleared by the selectors afterwards. It remains to be seen how much Hafeez has changed his action.
Both Yasir Shah and Zulfiqar Babar have the ability to block runs in 50-overs format as well as the capability to take wickets. Both these players were very impressive in the recent UAE tour.
But it is amazing that these two were not tested in the recently concluded one-day series against New Zealand. Zulfiqar Babar played only one match and Yasir Shah did not get any opportunity.
They should have been given opportunities in place of pace bowlers to gain some experience of bowling in one-dayers.
Now we will have to wait and watch that, Ajmal after clearing the action test can get back in from as he was in August against Sri Lanka, or he will have to wait in the side line to get back is place in the team.
Quick look at Ajmal’s career:
Ajmal played 35 Test matched in which he took 178 best figures of 7/55 in an inning while 11/111 in a match. He has got 10 five wickets hauls and four 10 wickets hauls in his short career.
On the other Hand Saeed Ajmal played 111 One Day matches in which he took 183 wickets with best figures in the match 5/24. He took five wickets in on two different occasion in ODIs.
As far as T20 is concerned he is one of the leading wicket takers as he took 85 wickets in 63 matches with best bowling figures of 4/19.
Now the question is with this new action can he deliver this type of performance?
Dear TNT Reader,
At The News Tribe, our mission is to bring you free, independent, and unbiased news and content that keeps you informed and empowered. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism, as we understand that we are a platform for truth.
Apart from independent global news coverage, we also commit our unique focus on the Muslim world. In an age marked by the troubling rise of Islamophobia and widespread misrepresentation of Muslims in Western media, we strive to provide accurate and fair coverage.
But to continue doing so, we need your support. Even a small donation of 1$ can make a big difference. Your contribution will help us maintain the quality of our news and counteract the negative narratives that are so prevalent.
Please consider donating today to ensure we can keep delivering the news that matters. Together, we can make a positive impact on the world, and work towards a more inclusive, informed global society.
Donate Monthly Subscription Annual Subscription
