Saeed Ajmal - Talent going unrecognized

If capturing 72 Test wickets in a year, including 24 of them at an average of 14.70 against a mighty England side earlier in the year, cannot warrant one a nomination in the ICC Awards, not too many things can. Saeed Ajmal, who is currently the highest ranked spinner in the world at No.3 in the Test bowling ranking, and No.1 ODI bowler has been excluded from the ICC awards shortlisted nominees. Ajmal, who was in the longlist for the award missed out when a 32-member panel decided to nominate Michael Clarke, Kumar Sangakkara, South African bowler Vernon Philander and batsman Hashim Amla.

“Ajmal deserved to be shortlisted for either the Test cricketer of the year or ODI player of the year award. The way the ICC has ignored him is unjust and the PCB must convey its reservations by boycotting the awards ceremony in Sri Lanka,” Pakistani former captain, Rashid Latif said.

Ajmal was the leading wicket-taker against the Australians in the just-concluded ODI series-which is another feather in his cap. South Africa’s rise to the top was triggered mainly by the genius of Ajmal, single-handedly, with England’s drubbing against Pakistan. In the last one year, Ajmal has accumulated the maximum number of wickets across all three formats – a staggering 120 wickets, the next-best being 84 – which only is a reflection of how perilous he has been. He has bagged the highest number of Test and ODI wickets in the past year respectively, which in itself screams out the level of his performances in the past year.

The extent of Ajmal’s contributions has not only been felt by the Pakistan team, but also their opponents who have been bamboozled by the versatility of Saeed Ajmal – something that sets him apart from other international bowlers today. He has been quite a deceiver that not too many have been able to crack – with his doosras and teesras – and his ability to bowl them at will. He keeps the batsmen guessing with his flight and turn that aggravates them and thus disrupts their concentration. He is the manifestation of an arachnid that traps its prey in the web it weaves.

He is an entertainer who the audiences worldwide love watching, and one who deserves to be at the top billing given his performances in the past year – which was the qualifying period for the awards. His elimination could also reflect upon how bowling is often overshadowed by batting. By being excluded from the top bracket of players, the ICC has done little for the credibility of the awards.

“This ICC process to shortlist players is clearly flawed because cricket is all about performance, not personal likes and dislikes. Better if the PCB boycotts the awards function. It will at least send out a strong message to the ICC. South Africa also did it in 2009 when their deserving players were ignored for the awards,” Mohsin Khan, who coached the Pakistani team earlier in the year against England, said.

The omission of Ajmal, which could lead to the Pakistani cricketers boycotting the ICC awards in Sri Lanka would just be another sad day in the spirit of the game, which would eventually leave a sour taste lingering. Appreciation and acknowledgment of performances should be ICC’s main objective of the awards, or the whole point is defeated – like it is now.