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Saeed Ajmal

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Saeed Ajmal
سعید اجمل
Personal information
Full name
Saeed Ajmal
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm off break
RoleBowler
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 195)4 July 2009 v Sri Lanka
Last Test3 February 2012 v England
ODI debut (cap 171)2 July 2008 v India
Last ODI6 December 2011 v Bangladesh
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
2009–presentZarai Taraqiati Bank Ltd
1996–2007Faisalabad
2000–07Khan Research Laboratories
2001–02Islamabad
2011Worcestershire
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI T20I FC
Matches 20 55 34 107
Runs scored 227 158 52 1,199
Batting average 11.94 9.29 17.33 12.36
100s/50s 0/1 0/0 0/0 0/3
Top score 50 33 21* 53
Balls bowled 6,551 2,818 732 23.498
Wickets 107 78 46 395
Bowling average 26.70 24.66 16.69 27.02
5 wickets in innings 5 0 0 24
10 wickets in match 2 0 n/a 3
Best bowling 7/55 4/33 4/19 7/55
Catches/stumpings 6/– 9/– 4/– 34/–
Source: Cricinfo, 8 February 2012

Saeed Ajmal (Punjabi, Urdu: سعید اجمل; born 14 October 1977) is a Pakistani cricketer. He is a right-arm off-spin bowler who bats right handed. At domestic level in Pakistan he has represented Faisalabad, with whom he won the 2005 ABN-AMRO Twenty-20 Cup; Khan Research Laboratories; and Islamabad. Ajmal made his One Day International debut for Pakistan in July 2008 at the age of 30, and a year later played his first Test. In 2009 he was reported for having a suspect bowling action, but after being cleared he helped Pakistan win the 2009 ICC World Twenty20. Ajmal played for Worcestershire as an overseas player in English domestic cricket in 2011. Since November 2011, Ajmal has been ranked by the International Cricket Council as the number one bowler in ODIs. On 28 January 2012, in the second test (# 2032) against England, Ajmal became the quickest Pakistani to take 100 test wickets.[1]

Domestic career

Ajmal has played for Faisalabad since his debut in 1995 at the age of 18. Ajmal represented the Faisalabad Wolves in the 2005 ABN-AMRO Twenty-20 Cup, his team won the final in which he was man of the match.[2][3] When Faisalabad won the final of the ABN-AMRO Patron's Cup in March 2006 Ajmal was named the tournament's best bowler and was given a Rs 25,000 prize.[4] He has also represented Khan Research Laboratories, who were runners-up in the final of the 2008/09 Quaid-i-Azam Trophy; though his side lost the final, Ajmal took 5/105 and 2/55 and in the process passed 250 first-class wickets.[5][6] Ajmal has also played for Islamabad.

International career

Pakistan hosted the Asia Cup in June 2008; Ajmal was included in the 15-man squad and was expected to act as a foil to Shahid Afridi's leg spin.[7] He made his debut against India on 2 July 2008. Ajmal took a single wicket, that of Yusuf Pathan, from his ten overs while conceding 47 runs (1/47) as Pakistan won by eight wickets.[8] before taking 2/19 in a ten-wicket victory over Bangladesh, although the team had no chance of progressing to the competition's final.[9] In November that year Pakistan travelled to the United Arab Emirates to face the West Indies in a three-match ODI series. Ajmal and Afridi were the team's only spin options;[10] the former took a single wicket while conceding 73 runs and Pakistan won all three matches.[11]

Ajmal's next match the third ODI against Sri Lanka in January 2009.[12] In April Pakistan faced Australia in the UAE in five ODIs. Playing in all five matches Ajmal took four wickets at an average of 39.50.[13] He was then picked for the Sri Lankan series in Sri Lanka where he had made solid performances in the Test matches, being picked ahead of Danish Kaneria in two of the matches.

In April 2009, Ajmal was reported by umpires for having a suspect bowling action. An independent test the following month demonstrated that Ajmal's arm flexed within the 15 degree tolerance allowed by the International Cricket Council.[14] Later that year, the Pakistan Cricket Board named a pool of 30 players from which they would chose their final squad for the 2009 ICC World Twenty20, held in June. Initially left out, Ajmal was one of three players added to the list, replacing players who were dropped because they were contracted with the controversial Indian Cricket League.[15] In the tournament, Ajmal partnered Afridi.[16] Pakistan won the tournament,[17] and Ajmal was the tournament's joint second highest wicket-taker with twelve dismissals from seven games (only Pakistan's Umar Gul took more wickets, with thirteen dismissals).[18]

Ajmal's good form continued in the 2010 ICC World Twenty20 as he was Pakistan's leading wicket taker. However despite his good form he was known for conceding three sixes to Michael Hussey in what has been hailed as the most thrilling Twenty20 match of all time as Australia were in trouble and Ajmal was the unfortunate bowler who bowled that final over.[19]

Shortly after this the Pakistan team began a tour of England where they would face Australia in two Tests in July, and subsequently play England in four Tests and five ODIs. Danish Kaneria was preferred to Ajmal in the first match against Australia, but after Pakistan lost the selectors considered dropping the leg-spinner and chosing Ajmal.[20] In the event, Ajmal was not selected until the second Test against England,[21] when Kaneria was dropped because he had been ineffective. Though Pakistan lost the match by nine wickets, Ajmal took his first five-wicket haul in Tests. In Pakistan's second innings, with his team looking to set a target for England to chase, Ajmal scored 50 from 79 balls, his first half-century in Tests, before he was dismissed by fellow off spinner Graeme Swann.[22][23]

During the series against England Pakistan became englufed in a spot fixing scandal after the fourth test and in a later secret interview it was unveiled by alleged fixer Mazhar Majeed that Ajmal, Abdul Razzaq, Younis Khan and Shahid Afridi were too difficult to bribe. He stated that Ajmal was too religious to get involved into fixing.[24]

After the controversy and upheaval of 2010, 2011 saw Pakistan become a more consistent team. The year began with the World Cup held between February and April. Pakistan progressed to the semi-final, where they were defeated by India;[25] playing in three of the team's matches, Ajmal took five wickets at an average of 18.60.[26][27] After the World Cup, Pakistan played ten Tests, winning six andlosing a single match;[28] this saw the team win series against Bangladesh, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe, and draw with the West Indies.[25] Ajmal finished the year with 50 wickets from 8 Tests, more than any other bowler (second on the list was India's Ishant Sharma with 43).[29] Pakistan were also largely successful in ODIs, winning 24 out of 32.[25] After Pakistan beat Sri Lanka 4–1 in November 2011, Ajmal climbed to the number one spot in the the ICC's ODI rankings.[30] He finished the year by taking nine wickets over two Tests in Pakistan's tour of Bangladesh.[31]

Pakistan started 2012 with a three Test series against England in the United Arab Emirates. Ajmal was named the man of the match for the first Test in Dubai, with match figures of 10 wickets for 97 runs and a career best 7/55 in England's first innings.[32][33] The series concluded with Pakistan completing a 3-0 whitewash over England, with Ajmal being named man of the series having claimed 24 wickets at an average of 14.70.[34][35]

In the immediate aftermath of the Test series, following confusion over comments from Ajmal about his bowling action in an interview to the BBC[36], Cricinfo published detailed information on the issue after a thorough investigation by journalist George Dobell with extensive discussion with ICC having been conducted. The resulting articles underlined the fact that Ajmal's bowling action falls well within the legal bounds set by the ICC for bowlers.[37][38]

Bowling style

With HawkEye coming in, left-arm spinners slide the ball on for lbws. Offspinners get a lot of lbws from round the wicket, so you [batsman] have to work really hard, and a bloke who's got a doosra you have to work extra special hard.

— England batsman Kevin Pietersen in 2010[22]

A right-arm off spinner, Ajmal's stock delivery turns into right-handed batsman but he also frequently uses the doosra which turns the other way,[22] and he generally bowls flatter than most off spinners. The doosra has been an effective tool for Ajmal as batsmen have often failed to pick it. Explaining his bowling style in 2012, Ajmal said "If I bowl with flight I cannot bowl well. If I bowl at a quicker speed I can then use variations in pace. If I take 90% of my wickets with the doosra why should I not bowl it? Whether you bowl a doosra or an offbreak, the ball should be bowled on the right line and one should take a wicket with it."[39]

Records and Achievements

Test bowling

5 wickets in an innings
# Figures Match Against City/Country Venue Year
1 5/82 6  England Birmingham, England Edgbaston 2010
2 5/69 10  West Indies Providence, Guyana Providence 2011
3 6/42 10  West Indies Providence, Guyana Providence 2011
4 5/68 14  Sri Lanka Dubai, UAE Dubai Cricket Ground 2011
5 7/55 18  England Dubai, UAE Dubai Cricket Ground 2012[42]
10-wickets in a match
# Figures Match Against City/Country Venue Year
1 11/111 10  West Indies Providence, Guyana Providence 2011
2 10/97 18  England Dubai, UAE Dubai Cricket Ground 2012[43]

References

  1. ^ Rehman stuns England to give Pakistan series espncricinfo 28 January 2012. Retrieved 28 January 2012
  2. ^ Samiuddin, Osman (2005-05-03). "The real showpiece". Cricinfo. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
  3. ^ "tt166 Karachi Dolphins v Faisalabad Wolves: ABN-AMRO Twenty-20 Cup 2004/05 (Final)". Cricket Archive. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
  4. ^ "Faisalabad Wolves bag one-day title". 2006-03-24. Retrieved 2012-01-13. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |publsiher= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ "Ajmal and Naqvi pull it back for KRL". Cricinfo. 2009-03-05. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
  6. ^ "f51480 Sialkot v Khan Research Laboratories: Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2008/09 (Final)". Cricket Archive. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
  7. ^ "Pakistan include Ajmal for Asia Cup". Cricinfo. 2008-06-22. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
  8. ^ "Cricinfo – 10th Match, Super Four: Pakistan v India at Karachi, Jul 2, 2008". Cricinfo. 2008-07-02. Retrieved 2008-09-16.
  9. ^ "Pakistan thrash sorry Bangladesh". Cricinfo. 2008-07-04. Retrieved 2008-09-16.
  10. ^ "Pakistan pick five seamers for Abu Dhabi ODIs". Cricinfo. 2008-11-03. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
  11. ^ "West Indies in United Arab Emirates 2008/09: ODI bowling for Pakistan". Cricket Archive. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
  12. ^ "One-Day International matches played by Saeed Ajmal". Cricket Archive. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
  13. ^ "Australia v Pakistan ODI Series, 2009 / Records / Most wickets". Cricinfo. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
  14. ^ "Ajmal action gets ICC's green signal". Cricinfo. 2009-05-24. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
  15. ^ "Pakistan drop ICL players from World Twenty20 list". Cricinfo. 2009-04-07. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
  16. ^ Gollapudi, Nagraj (2009-06-17). "Gul's reverse swing is an art, says Aaqib". Cricinfo. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
  17. ^ McGlashan, Andrew (2009-06-21). "Afridi fifty seals title for Pakistan". Cricinfo. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
  18. ^ "ICC World Twenty20, 2009 / Records / Most wickets". Cricinfo. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
  19. ^ "Aussies stun Pakistan in thriller". BBC News. 14 May 2010.
  20. ^ Gollapudi, Nagraj (2010-07-19). "Ajmal tipped to replace Kaneria". Cricinfo. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
  21. ^ "Test matches played by Saeed Ajmal". Cricket Archvie. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
  22. ^ a b c Gollapudi, Nagraj (2010-08-07). "Ajmal proves his Test credentials". Cricinfo. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
  23. ^ "f52516 t1969 England v Pakistan: Pakistan in England 2010 (2nd Test)". Cricket Archive. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
  24. ^ Ajmal to religious to bribe – Majeed. Thenews.com.pk (2010-11-30). Retrieved on 2012-01-05.
  25. ^ a b c Shafqat, Saad (2011-12-27). "What, no nightmares?". Cricinfo. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
  26. ^ "Batting and fielding in ICC World Cup 2010/11 (ordered by average)". Cricket Archive. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
  27. ^ "Bowling in ICC World Cup 2010/11 (ordered by wickets)". Cricket Archive. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
  28. ^ "Pakistan Test results between 1 Jan 2011 and 31 Dec 2011". Cricinfo. Retrieved 2011-01-13.
  29. ^ "Records / 2011 / Test matches / Most wickets". Cricinfo. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
  30. ^ "Ajmal climbs to top of ODI rankings". Cricinfo. 2011-11-24. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
  31. ^ "Records / Pakistan in Bangladesh Test Series, 2011/12 / Most wickets". Cricinfo. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  32. ^ Selvey, Mike (19 January 2012). "Pakistan's Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal complete England's humiliation". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  33. ^ "Pakistan overhaul England innings". Sydney Morning Herald. 18 January 2012. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  34. ^ Pakistan v England Test Series - 3rd Test. Cricinfo. Retrieved on 08 February 2012.
  35. ^ Pakistan v England Test Series, 2011/12 - Most wickets. Cricinfo. Retrieved on 08 February 2012.
  36. ^ Saeed Ajmal claims clarified by Pakistan Cricket Board. Cricinfo. Retrieved on 08 February 2012.
  37. ^ The facts about Saeed Ajmal. Cricinfo. Retrieved on 08 February 2012.
  38. ^ Unravelling the mystery of Ajmal. Cricinfo. Retrieved on 08 February 2012.
  39. ^ Farooq, Umar (2012-01-06). "Ajmal to unveil special delivery against England". Cricinfo. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
  40. ^ "Saeed Ajmal became the fastest Pakistan bowler to 100 Test wickets". ESPNcricinfo. 31 January 2012. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
  41. ^ "Pakistan vs England in UAE in 2011-12". ESPNcricinfo. 31 January 2012. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
  42. ^ "Saeed's 5th five-for in tests against England". ESPNCricinfo.com. 17 January 2012. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
  43. ^ "Saeed's 2nd ten-for in tests against England". ESPNCricinfo.com. 17 January 2012. Retrieved 31 January 2012.

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