Ajmal cleared to bowl a week before World Cup

Monday, 9 February 2015 00:37 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

REUTERS: Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal has been cleared to bowl after passing biomechanic tests on his remodelled action, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Saturday. A week before the start of the World Cup, the ICC said Ajmal and Bangladesh spinner Sohaq Gazi had been re-tested in Chennai last month and cleared to resume bowling in international cricket. “At the retests, it was revealed that the amount of elbow extensions in both the off-spinners’ bowling actions for all their deliveries was within

the 15-degree level of tolerance...” the world governing body said. “The umpires are still at liberty to report Saeed Ajmal and Sohag Gazi in the future if they believe they are displaying a suspect action and not reproducing the legal actions from the retests.” Spin spearhead Ajmal pulled out of Pakistan’s World Cup preliminary squad in December with the board ruling out any chance for the 37-year-old to get his remodelled action cleared before the Feb. 14-March 29 tournament. But he has not given up hope of playing in the showpiece competition. “Obviously if an emergency arises I am available for the World Cup even with my modified action although I would like to do more work on my modified action and new deliveries,” he told reporters in Lahore. “I am really delighted today at my action being cleared but I want to return to top cricket when totally comfortable I can repeat my old performances,” Ajmal said. “It has been a hard time for me and it is not easy to have had my World Cup plans disrupted. But the bad times are now over and it is the start of a new phase of cricket for me,” he added. Ajmal, who has taken 178 test, 183 one-day international and 85 Twenty20 wickets is likely to return to the national side against Bangladesh in April. “I don’t have any plans to retire and want to play for another three to four years,” he said. Pakistan, World Cup winners in 1992, begin their campaign against arch-rivals and defending champions India in Adelaide on Feb. 15.

Hafeez ruled out of World Cup through injury

Reuters: Pakistan allrounder Mohammad Hafeez has been ruled out of the World Cup with a calf muscle injury, an official of the country’s cricket board told Reuters on Sunday. “He has been advised two to three weeks rest by the doctors so he is out of the World Cup,” Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spokesman Raza Kitchlew said.

He said the tour selection committee has sought to replace Hafeez with 25-year-old opener Nasir Jamshed who has played 45 ODIs. “A request with medical reports has been sent to the ICC technical committee for inducting Jamshed into the squad,” Kitchlew said. Hafeez, 34, has been one of Pakistan’s key player, having scored 4542 runs and taken 122 wickets in 155 One-day internationals. He became the second Pakistan player to miss the World Cup through injury after left-arm paceman Junaid Khan pulled out with a hamstring injury and was replaced by Rahat Ali. Hafeez, who is not allowed to bowl because of his illegal action, was due to undergo an official bowling assessment on Feb 16 in Brisbane but another PCB official said it was unlikely that the player would undergo the test on that day. Pakistan begin their World Cup campaign against arch-rivals India next Sunday at Adelaide.