Summary He will be available for selection in the Australia A tour matches against Ireland from June 14-17.
MELBOURNE (AP) - Pakistani refugee Fawad Ahmed has been added to the Australia A squad for a tour of Britain and Ireland after amendments to citizenship laws which could fast-track his passport passed through the lower house of the Australian Parliament.
Cricket Australia's national selection panel chairman John Inverarity said in a statement Thursday that "Fawad is a spin bowler of interest and we look forward to seeing how he performs for Australia A."
There's been mounting speculation locally that Australia, in need of a consistent, quality legbreak bowler since the retirements of Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill, could add Ahmed to its Ashes squad for the test series in England beginning in July. Offspinner Nathan Lyon was the only slow bowler selected in the initial Ashes squad.
Immigration Minister Brendan O'Connor last month introduced proposed changes to the Citizenship Act that would give him discretion to grant citizenship in exceptional cases to residents who have not lived in Australia for the four-year minimum but are "engaged in a kind of work of benefit to Australia."
On Wednesday, the bill passed through the government's House of Representatives in Canberra without amendment, and without the need for a vote.
While the bill still needs to progress through the Senate, Cricket Australia said it was confident that there is enough support for the changes to become law.
Ahmed played 10 first-class matches in Pakistan before arriving in Australia in 2010 seeking asylum. He was granted permanent residency last year and would normally have qualified for Australia in August under International Cricket Council guidelines. Citizenship offers an earlier option for selection under ICC rules.
In April, the 31-year-old Ahmed took a step closer to being considered for an Australian team after being awarded a full-time contract with Victoria state. He had already spent time training with the Australian squad in nets sessions.
Cricket Australia said if the bill to amend the Citizenship Act becomes law and he obtains Australian citizenship and an Australian passport before Aug. 18, Ahmed will become immediately eligible for national selection at that time.
It said the ICC's player eligibility criteria does not apply to selection for second-string or national development squads, so Ahmed is able to immediately join the Australia A tour.
Ahmed will be available for selection in the Australia A tour matches against Ireland from June 14-17 and against England county Gloucestershire from June 21-23. Australia A opens its tour on Friday with a four-day match against Scotland.
