Ajmal, who made it to the nominations but lost out to Michael Clarke, Kumar Sangakkara, Vernon Philander and Hashim Amla in the shortlist, picked up 72 wickets from 12 Tests played in the qualifying period and the PCB had expressed its disappointment after he failed to make the cut. The ICC, however, confirmed that changes to the shortlist will not be possible now and the list remained final.
“Ajmal was in the long list of nominations for three awards and this went to a voting academy,” an ICC spokesperson told The Express Tribune. “They voted for these players and nominated their top four. This academy is representative of all countries and their votes were audited and verified by independent auditors.
“In that way, the process is already complete.”
The PCB was especially unhappy that, since only one bowler was chosen in the shortlist, Philander (56 wickets in the qualifying period) was preferred over Ajmal who, according to a board official, played ‘a huge part in the dismantling of the top-ranked Test side in the world’ in the UAE Test series earlier this year.
Ajmal’s consolation, however, was a place in the ICC Test Team of the Year as the only spinner.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 5th, 2012.
COMMENTS (26)
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This is a biased decision...Agreed.....But there were two people in the board from Pakistan....what were they doing.../Sleeping/.....Come on! if we have the members as a group of the board then we should ask these members and not blame only the board. Moreover i agree that such events should select the sportsmen and if they dont then let us support the sportsmen who deserve and ask them to perform much more better so that soon every one would start saying the same point of view.
@Roy: Ran out if ideas? you have lifted someone else's line here, same way the Indian musicians are lifting Pakistani songs in Bollywood.
I have never quite understood why a few off spinners in international cricket always wear full sleeves, even if the weather is hot & sweltering. Is this to cover up their sharply bent elbows when they tweak their doosras & theesras???
@Usman: Crickter of the Year gives upon individual performance not overall performance of the team. I think first you should go through news before commenting.
To not include Ajmal is a disgrace to those awards. How come bowlers are not nominated and we have so many batsmen... if you do not nominate a bowler who has performed in all three formats, single-handedly beatan world #1 test team, I wonder what those awards are about. Lobbyisme at its best !
Ajmal's exclusion is tantamount to USAIN BOLT's and/or MICHAEL PHELPS's recent achievements not recognized ! In past the also, stranger things have taken place at ICC. A farce really.
I read the comments on other website and even Indian cricket lovers are surprised & disgusted by ICCs decision. Please don't consider the comments of few Indians on ET who have nothing better then to even put down one of the greatest bowlers of all times.
@CrapCutter: Thank you, thank you. I will enjoy your boycott !!!
ICC has done a great dishonor to itself and Saeed Ajmal has the right attitude when he says that he's only concerned about his performance and these awards come later. Bravo!! He is one of the greatest bowlers of all times, by skill, by performance and by attitude!.
Pakistan should boycott the ceremony as South Africans did...We need to support our only current world class player!
ICC should be renamed as Indian Cricket Council.
Our cricketers shouldn't be worried about these awards. Seriously, I mean they should know by now that this event will never award talent on merit. Saeed Ajmal is beyond all these things and his attitude says it all: "I am only concerned about my performance on the field and do well for the team", which is right!
Focus on your cricket boys, these things are stupid. Speaking of stupid, why did Iniesta win the best player in europe award over Ronaldo? Stupid.
another decision influenced by indian cricket board
@Usman: Do you even know cricket ???
I'll appreciate if PCD decides to boycott the event
Auditors verified the votes?did they know what they were auditing?
Come on PCB lets Boycott this event. If they cant acknowledge the fact that they made a mistake by excluding ajmal then there is NO point attending the event. Infact I would like to request Mr Aleem Dar to don't show up for event as well.
It's a biased attitude, similar situation happened last year and they were able to accomodate Swann why not Ajmal.
I would like to ask the governing authority (ICC) is this the fair treatment with a country which has been amongst the best nation in the cricketing world.
@Usman, can you read the news piece again, its not about Pakistan team (which is better ranked than India in test cricket, 4th), in fact its about a great spinner and one can't deny him.
Bravo Great decision by ICC (Indian Controlled Cricket) @Usman: Can Indians please accept the fact that they are not as liberal as they think they are? @Vikas: Confession by a culprit is more (important) than the penalty imposed on him.
Can pakistanis please accept the fact that their team is not as good as they think it is
@Truth Detector: Okay. ICC(BCCI controlled) is biased towards PCB. Do whatever you want.
Who's Philander?
We must boycott this event at all costs. If we attend it, I'll stop watching cricket forever!
@Shahid Ashraf
That is not a bad news.. that is a biased attitude of ICC against Pakistan.
That bad news :(