PCB not happy with banned offspinner Saeed Ajmal

Karachi, Jan 17: Relations between suspended off-spinner Saeed Ajmal and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) are not very cordial these days after the senior player insisted on taking the ICC bowling test this month.

Sources aware of the developments said the PCB was not in favor of Saeed rushing his official ICC bowling reassessment.

"The board was also not happy when Saeed all off a sudden during his stay in England went and appeared for a private bio-mechanics test in Edgbaston. Although the test later showed that Saeed's corrected bowling action was within the 15 degrees limit allowed by the ICC but the board is not convinced of its validity," one source said. He said that relations also went sour after Ajmal insisted that the board should pay the bills for the private test.

"The situation is such that Saeed is pretty much dictating things to the Board which does not want any unwanted controversy before the World Cup," the source said.

He said the Board had advised Saeed to take the official bowling assessment of the ICC in the laboratory in Chennai next month but he insisted on taking it this month.

"Saeed's statement about not wanting to go to Chennai also didn't please the board officials who have been supportive of the bowler since his suspension from bowling in international cricket due to his illegal bowling action."

But the source said Ajmal and the board had both consensus on one issue that even if he cleared the ICC assessment he would not take part in the World Cup.

'Not ready to return to international cricket'

Ajmal himself said on a television channel on Thursday that he didn't see himself playing the World Cup even if he cleared the test with his modified action.

"I am not ready to return to international cricket right now and I think my action needs to be refined and my deliveries need to be made more effective before I can return to international cricket," Ajmal said.

Another source in the Board said that the PCB was also not happy because they felt Saeed was in a hurry to take the ICC test in order to save a lucrative contract with a leading English county.

"He has a deadline from the county to sign the contract for this year and obviously if unless he clears the ICC test he can't sign the contract," the source said.

PTI