PCB will honour Saeed Ajmal on his return back home - Cricket News Update
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, Chaudhry Zaka Ashraf, has announced a special award for spin wizard, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Saeed-Ajmal-c87859, who was left out in the cold in regards to nominations for a prestigious award from the game’s governing body.
“We congratulate you and when you come back home (after the World Twenty20) we will give you a prize for being the number one bowler in the world,” Ashraf said in Dubai.
“Saeed Ajmal, we still say you’re the number one bowler in the world and the PCB recognises you, and whether someone gives you the prize, that is immaterial, we don’t care,” http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ashraf-c46397 adding further.
The world’s leading wicket-taker (for 2011/12 season) was snubbed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the ‘Player of the Year’ award, which led to a public spat between the PCB and the ICC.
Lodging a strong protest, the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 Board questioned the selection criteria and requested the game’s governing body for a review. The ICC however, rejected PCB’s plea, citing that they don’t have the authority to change the results.
A 30-member panel, comprising of former players, officials and journalists shortlisted http://www.senore.com/Cricket/HM-Amla-c1557 for the award but ignored the right-arm bowler despite his tally of 72 wickets in 12 Test matches.
In the ICC world rankings, the 34-year-old is currently the number one bowler in the ODIs, number two in T20Is and occupies the third spot in the Test rankings. The omission led to widespread anger in the cricket mad nation, calling for the boycott of the
award ceremony scheduled to be held on September 15 in Colombo.
Ashraf said that no decision has been taken yet to boycott the awards ceremony despite mounting pressure from the public.
“We are under extreme pressure. There have been demonstrations in Pakistan, people have come out in support of Saeed Ajmal and we have conveyed the feelings of the people of Pakistan to the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/ICC-World-Cup-2011-c100625,” the Chairman added.
In 2010, ICC had included English spinner, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 also boycotted the Awards ceremony in Johannesburg following the omission of several
of its players from the nomination list.
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