Published: Jun 10, 2015, 06:27 AM (IST)
Edited: Jun 10, 2015, 06:27 AM (IST)
Karachi: Seasoned Pakistan allrounder, Mohammad Hafeez has expressed concern over the absence of a match-winning bowler in the national squad. Hafeez told reporters before the national team’s departure for Sri Lanka that after a long time Pakistan’s bowling lacked a true match winner like Saeed Ajmal. ALSO READ: Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar criticise PCB for treating Pakistan cricketers like kids
“We don’t have a match-winning bowler in the category of Saeed. After Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis he (Saeed) showed the class to be a match winner in any form of the game,” Hafeez said.
“Unfortunately in the present team there is no one who can replace Saeed including myself and that is an area of concern for me because in the past it was our bowlers who the other teams feared,” he said. READ: Waqar Younis: Pakistan will qualify for ICC Champions Trophy 2017
The national selectors ignored off-spinner Ajmal for the recent limited over series against Zimbabwe and also for the Sri Lankan tour as he failed to impress them after returning to international cricket with a changed bowling action.
Chief selector, Haroon Rasheed said that they had tried out Ajmal by sending him to Bangladesh but he needed more time to again become a potent bowler with his new action. “He needs to play more domestic cricket and we are glad he is now doing well in England but he requires time to adjust with his new action to international cricket with his new action,” Rasheed told PTI.
The ICC suspended Ajmal from bowling in international cricket in September 2014 ironically after a tour to Sri Lanka after his bowling action was reported by match officials. He returned to international cricket in Bangladesh in April but failed to impress.
Hafeez said Pakistan needed to unearth bowlers with match winning ability and for the time being it was the batting which would have to carry the burden. Pakistan’s one-day captain, Azhar Ali also admitted that Pakistan’s bowling was now at par with Sri Lanka and not as strong as even last year.
“In Sri Lankan conditions our bowlers have a hard job ahead of them. But we will play positively in the limited over games and our batsmen are gearing up for that role,” Ali said. He said Sri Lanka would prove to be a tough competition even without key players as they had depth in their back up talent.
