Saeed Ajmal might receive late WCup callup
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq said no firm decisions on Hafeez's future had been made.
SYDNEY (AP) - Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal may be in line for a late World Cup call-up after the International Cricket Council on Saturday approved his return to international cricket, ending his suspension for an illegal bowling action.
The 37-year-old Ajmal can only be added to Pakistan s squad if an ICC technical committee rules that an incumbent squad member must be replaced because of a legitimate injury.
Pakistan has already been granted permission to replace fast bowler Junaid Khan with Rahat Ali. Now off-spinner and all rounder Mohammed Hafeez, who is also suspended due to a suspect action, has a calf injury which has prevented him undergoing a bowling test while in Australia.
His removal would allow Ajmal to join the Pakistan squad.
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq said no firm decisions on Hafeez s future had been made.
"We want him (Hafeez) to play a major part of the World Cup and if the physios suggest that it s not possible then we have to take any step," Misbah said Sunday.
Ajmal s lack of recent games may count against him. His only games since his suspension have been one-day matches for Pakistan A against Kenya in December.
"Let s see how it goes in the next week, because the team is already announced and everybody is here," Misbah said. "He hasn t played any sort of cricket yet for the last five, six months.
"That s a big concern because to go into a competition of high degree cricket, you need a little bit of a level of cricket behind you."
Ajmal has taken 183 wickets in 111 one-day internationals at an average of 22.18, though he has been less effective in Australian conditions.
