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Ajmal fires broadside at national selectors

Veteran off-spinner declares his past performances prove he deserves selection for Pakistan in the shorter formats

Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal has expressed frustration over being continuously ignored by national selectors, and has claimed that the recent "drive against chucking was (aimed) to ban me."

Last month, Ajmal was the leading wicket-taker in Pakistan's domestic Twenty20 tournament, helping his Karachi Blues to their maiden T20 title by taking 20 wickets in nine matches, including two scalps in the final against Karachi Whites.

The 39-year-old is still hopeful of representing Pakistan in T20 and one-day internationals, but said selectors and the Pakistan Cricket Board are ignoring his performances.

Quick single: Saeed Ajmal has no intention to retire

"I just don’t understand what they (the selectors) want me to do," Ajmal told cricket.com.au.

"If they don’t want to select me they should give me a straight reply.

"They keep telling me, 'you need to perform in domestic cricket'.

"I took 20 wickets in the T20 tournament in Multan. I was leading wicket-taker in the competition. Even in the domestic T20s in England last year (for Worcestershire) I was among the best bowlers of the tournament.

"I don’t know why these performances are not being considered.

"I don’t have any fitness concerns either as I have played both the domestic T20 and 50-over tournaments this year.

"I am working very hard for a comeback.

"Pakistan does not have an off-spinner in the team and I feel I still have a role to play."

Ajmal displays his new action


Ajmal was reported for a suspected illegal bowling action in August 2014 and was later suspended from bowling by the International Cricket Council after investigations in Brisbane revealed that the flex in his elbow exceeded the 15-degree limit.

But after working on his bowling action and having it remodelled, he was reassessed at Chennai’s Sri Ramachandra University where his new action was found to be legal. The ICC allowed him to resume bowling a week before the Cricket World Cup in 2015.

Although Ajmal missed the tournament in Australia and New Zealand, he was called back into the Pakistan team for the 2015 series against Bangladesh, but that is the only international series he has played since having his action remodelled.

"I have played just one match (in T20 internationals) after remodelling my bowling action," he said.

"They told me I've got to prove my worth in domestic cricket. My performances in domestic cricket is in front of everyone, but still I am being neglected.

"I cannot prove my worth by inventing a magic delivery which the batsmen can’t see. It is my performance that the selectors need to see.

"Every bowler who had issues with his bowling action is back in the team. It is only me who is not being selected.

"It looks as if the whole idea behind the drive against chucking was to ban me."

Ajmal also dismissed media reports that he had approached the PCB to give him a farewell match so that he can announce his retirement from international cricket, adding he still hopes to continue his career.

"Neither I nor any PCB official has talked about a farewell match with me," he said.

"I have not even thought about it because I still want to play.

"The discussion in the media about farewell match was regarding Shahid Afridi and my name was brought in it by a few tweets."

The former No.1 ranked ODI and T20 bowler in the world also said that he is not playing first-class cricket this season because he doesn't plan to play Tests for Pakistan as the national Test side is well established and has done well in recent times.

He believes it's the limited overs teams where his services can still be utilised.

The full extent of the bowling crackdown, featuring Saeed Ajmal


"If the selectors want me to play (the) first-class season again and prove my worth by taking 100 wickets, then that’s not going to happen because I no longer intend to play four- or five-day cricket," he said.

"My domestic team Faisalabad and department ZTBL both are in Grade-II. There is no point of playing first-class cricket when I don’t intend to play Tests. Why should I play first-class cricket?

"My focus is on limited-overs cricket only and I have confidence that I can still perform in international cricket."

Pakistan’s next ODI assignment is in January next year in Australia, for which Ajmal is unlikely to make the cut, while they don’t have any T20 international fixtures until March 2016, when they tour West Indies.

But with the Pakistan Super League in February, the veteran has a chance to impress the selectors before Pakistan’s next T20 assignment.

"Whatever games I am going to play I will consider it as a gateway to international cricket," he said.

"I am eager to do well in the PSL and every other domestic tournament and hopefully I will be considered for the national team."