The Pakistan Cricket Board is thinking very rightly to boycott the ICC awards over the issue of Saeed Ajmal’s omission from the nominees list. Off-spinner Saeed Ajmal is one of the best bowlers of cricket currently and has performed spectacularly in the last year or so. Many former and current cricketers and well-respected analysts concur with this judgement and have sang his praises on many a forum. Former cricketer and commentator Tony Greig has recently said that Saeed Ajmal would be his first choice for any World X1.
The qualifying period for the ICC award was from 4th August, 2011 to 6th August, 2012. Look at the players’ performance that have been selected for Test Cricketer of the Year for this period:
Sri Lankan batsman Kumar Sangakkara has scored 1444 runs at an average of 60.16 in 14 Test matches. (Sri Lanka won only 3 Test matches during this period, lost 5 matches, 6 matches were drawn)
Australian captain Michael Clarke has scored 1355 runs at an average of 58.91 in 14 Test matches. (Australia won 9 matches, lost 2 matches, 3 matches were drawn)
South African opener Hashim Amla scored 915 runs at an average of 65.35 in 10 Test matches. (South Africa won 5 matches, lost 2 matches, 3 matches were drawn)
South African fast bowler Vernon Philander who debuted in November 2011 has taken 56 wickets at an average of 16.57 in 9 Test matches. (South Africa won 5 matches, lost 2 matches, 3 matches were drawn)
Now if we look at Saeed Ajmal’s record in the qualifying period, he has taken 72 wickets at an average of 24.29 in 12 test matches including 24 at 14.70 as Pakistan swept aside England, the then No 1 side in the world, 3-0 in January. (Pakistan won 7 matches, lost 1 match, 4 matches were drawn)
This shows that Saeed Ajmal record is much better than South African bowler Vernon Philander. Saeed should have been selected in the short list of Test Cricketer of the Year and Vernon Philander could have been selected in the Emerging Player of the Year category as he made his debut in November 2011.
MUBASHIR MAHMOOD
Karachi
