Ajmal recalled to Pakistan squad

Nicholas McGee

Ajmal recalled to Pakistan squad image

Saeed Ajmal is in contention to make his first Pakistan appearance since last August after being named in their Test, one-day international and Twenty20 squads for the tour of Bangladesh.

Spinner Ajmal was banned from bowling last September having been reported for an illegal action during a Test match with Sri Lanka.

He made his return for Pakistan's 'A' side in December before being cleared to bowl again in international cricket in February following remedial work on his action, although he had already been withdrawn from his country's squad for the Cricket World Cup by that point.

The 37-year-old - who boasts 178 Test wickets at an average of 28.10 and 183 in the ODI game at 22.18 - is now in line to return from the international wilderness.

Joining him in Pakistan's Test squad are openers Babar Azam and Sami Aslam, who have earned maiden call-ups, leaving one in position to head the batting line-up with Mohammed Hafeez.

Hafeez is picked for the Test, ODI and Twenty20 squads after missing the World Cup and is due to have his bowling action reassessed on April 9 after he was banned from bowling in December.

Fast bowler Junaid Khan is in the Test and T20 parties following injury, but Umar Akmal has been dropped from all three formats and Ahmed Shehzad is only selected for the 20-over game.

Uncapped middle-order batsman Mohammaed Rizwan has been picked for the ODI contests and the sole T20, which could feature another debutant in the form of Mukhtar Ahmed.

Pakistan Test squad: Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Azhar Ali (vice-captain), Sarfraz Ahmed, Saeed Ajmal, Rahat Ali, Sami Aslam, Babar Azam, Zulfiqar Babar,  Mohammad Hafeez, Junaid Khan, Sohail Khan, Younis Khan, Wahab Riaz, Asad Shafiq, Haris Sohail. 

Pakistan ODI squad: Azhar Ali (captain), Ehsan Adil, Sarfraz Ahmed, Saeed Ajmal, Fawad Alam, Rahat Ali, Sami Aslam, Mohammad Hafeez, Sohail Khan, Sohaib Maqsood, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Asad Shafiq, Yasir Shah, Haris Sohail.  

Pakistan T20 squad: Shahid Afridi (captain), Mukhtar Ahmed, Sarfraz Ahmed, Saeed Ajmal, Umar Gul, Mohammad Hafeez, Junaid Khan, Sohail Khan, Sohaib Maqsood, Saad Nasim, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Ahmed Shehzad, Haris Sohail, Sohail Tanvir.

 

 

Nicholas McGee