ICC says no leniency granted to Saeed Ajmal

DUBAI: Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal reopened a controversy about his bowling action, by claiming special International Cricket Council leniency allowing him to straighten his arm beyond 15 degrees, which was quickly rebutted by the game’s world body.

Ajmal, who took 24 wickets in the 3-0 Test series whitewash of England, claimed during an in interview that as of an old accident which means he cannot straighten his arm properly – extra leniency, up to 23.5 degrees, has been granted to him by ICC.

An ICC spokesman has denied any special case has been made for Ajmal, confirming there are no exceptions to the world governing body’s 15-degree rule.

Ajmal’s doosra caused particular alarm with some pundits – including former England captain Bob Willis – questioning its legitimacy.

The off-spinner had his action reviewed by the ICC in 2009 – and following Pakistan’s 71-run victory in the final Test in Dubai yesterday, he told the BBC Sport website: “Someone is telling me my action is bad, but the ICC allow me to bowl 23.5 degrees because my arm is not good – but that’s my problem.

“Apart from that there is no problem with my action – it has been cleared by the ICC.”

Read more »

Posted in: SPORTS

Afridi, Azam in Pakistan one-day, T20 squad

KARACHI: Pakistan on Tuesday included all rounders Shahid Afridi and Hammad Azam in its one-day and Twenty20 squads for the rest of this month’s series against England in United Arab Emirates.

Meanwhile, Azhar Ali has been rewarded for his brilliant batting in Pakistan’s test series sweep against England with a place in the middle order of Pakistan’s the one-day squad.

Ali has played just one limited-overs international —against Ireland last year —but earned the selectors attention after scoring a career-best 157 in Pakistan’s 71-run third-test win on Monday.

Opener Taufiq Umar will return home after the three-Test series which Pakistan won 3-0.

The first of four one-day matches will be played in Abu Dhabi on February 13. The one-days will be followed by three Twenty20 internationals.

Misbah-ul Haq will lead Pakistan in both the formats.

One-day squad: Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Younis Khan, Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Hafeez, Imran Farhat, Umar Akmal, Asad Shafiq, Adnan Akmal, Umar Gul, Junaid Khan, Aizaz Cheema, Saeed Ajmal, Abdul Rehman, Wahab Riaz, Azhar Ali.

Twenty20 squad: Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Hafeez, Imran Farhat, Umar Akmal, Asad Shafiq, Adnan Akmal, Awais Zia, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Abdul Rehman, Wahab Riaz, Aizaz Cheema, Junaid Khan, Hammad Azam.

Read more »

Posted in: SPORTS

Pakistan complete historic whitewash against England

DUBAI: Pakistan beat England by 71 runs in the third and final Test to sweep the series 3-0 on the fourth day at Dubai Stadium here on Monday.

England were dismissed for 252 in their second innings as they slumped to a first-ever series whitewash against their opponents.

For Pakistan it was a fifth series whitewash, their last coming in a 3-0 triumph over Bangladesh in 2003.

Pakistan’s bowling once again sparkled to leave England struggling towards another defeat.

Set a daunting 324-run target England limped to 173-6 at tea and face a certain defeat on a weary Dubai Stadium pitch which saw Pakistani spinner Saeed Ajmal (3-44) and paceman Umar Gul (2-31) destroying their top-order.

At the break, Matt Prior was unbeaten on ten and Stuart Broad was batting on four. England still need 151 to win with Pakistan needing four wickets for a win.

England, 89-2 at lunch, were still in with a chance with Alastair Cook (49) and Kevin Pietersen (18) batting well but they lost four wickets in the space of 84 runs, leaving Pakistan on the brink of a first-ever 3-0 whitewash over their opponents.

Pakistan won the first Test here by ten wickets and the second by 72 runs in Abu Dhabi.

Pietersen, who struggled for runs in the series, hit Abdul Rehman for a boundary and then hoisted him for a six to post England’s 100. But Ajmal struck from the other end.

The off-spinner produced a beautiful delivery to bowl Pietersen through the gate for 18, a mere 67 runs for the series during which he was out to spinners on five occasions.

In his next over, Ajmal produced another sharp turning delivery which caught the edge of Cook’s bat and was smartly held by a diving Younis Khan in the lone slip.

Ian Bell (10) and Eoin Morgan (31) added 37 for the fifth wicket but again failed to produce a big score in the series as Gul dismissed them in the space of just three runs.

Pakistan could have been in a better position in the morning session had they not dropped two crucial catches, the first off Strauss on 26 when wicket-keeper Adnan Akmal grassed a simple chance off Gul.

But that didn’t hurt Pakistan as Rehman trapped England captain in the very next over. Strauss challenged the decision by Australian umpire Steve Davis but his review failed.

Gul then let off Cook at 24 when he failed to hold a top-edge sweep off Rehman.

Cook had also benefited from a drop catch on Saturday when Taufiq Umar let him off in the third slip off a miscued drive off Gul when he was four.

Ajmal then broke a dangerous looking 37-run stand between Cook and Jonathan Trott (18) by forcing a top-edge sweep which was smartly snapped up by Rehman at square-leg.

Read more »

Posted in: SPORTS