World Cup 2015 Bad First Bad News
Saeed Ajmal withdraws from ICC Cricket World Cup 2015..
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Pakistan's star spinner Saeed Ajmal announced on Saturday that he will not play next year's World Cup after failing to completely correct his bowling action which led to his suspension in September. The offspinner had been included in Pakistan's 30-man probable list for the 2015 World Cup last month with the hope that he will be able to rectify his action and get International Cricket Council clearance in time to make the final 15 squad.
The 37-year-old appeared before a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) committee before taking the decision. "Ajmal has taken this decision all by himself as he has not been able to completely correct his action and he will hold a press conference in a couple of days to announce his decision," PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan told media.
Ajmal's bowling action was reported during the Galle Test in Sri Lanka in August. His action was later found illegal in a bio-mechanic test a month later which led to his suspension. "The remedial work on his action will take some time so we are not sending him for an unofficial test," said Khan. "We were aware that if he took the official ICC test in a bid to make the World Cup squad and failed it he could be suspended from playing for one to two years and that would mean the end of his career," he said.
According to the ICC rules all bowlers can bend their elbow by up to 15 degrees beyond which their action is deemed illegal. The suspended bowlers then get a chance to remodel their action after which they undergo reassessment for clearance. Ajmal worked along with former spinner Saqlain Mushtaq in order to rework his action. Saqlain had advised him to take some more time. Pakistan's head coach of the national cricket academy Mohammad Akram said Ajmal has taken an honest decision.
"Ajmal wants to play as world number one bowler and not someone who wants to hide for his action," Akram told AFP. "Saqlain advised him to concentrate on cricket after the World Cup which he has accepted and withdrew from the World Cup," said Akram.
Pakistan face another race against time on all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez whose action was also reported in November. The PCB decided on Saturday to send Hafeez to Chennai for unofficial tests before applying for reassessment with the ICC. Ajmal's absence, now with uncertainty over Hafeez's action, will badly affect Pakistan's chances in the 2015 World Cup to be held in Australia and New Zealand in February-March.
All teams must announce their final 15 for the World Cup on January 7.
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