Ajmal exclusion

Ajmal exclusion

Saeed Ajmal’s exclusion from the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) shortlist of players for the Cricketer of the Year awards has drawn great ire from Pakistan, be it administrators, former cricketers or the passionate cricket fans.

ICC has ruled out a chance for Ajmal’s late inclusion in the list, saying it does not have any authority over the final list, which is decided by an independent jury, who decided to leave out Ajmal. In return, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has indicated that it may boycott the awards all together to show its displeasure with the decision.

Much has been written and debated about Ajmal’s stand-out performance during the period considered by the ICC for award nominations. Here’s what Dawn.com contributor Shoaib Naveed said in his blog last week: “Ajmal is the highest wicket taker in Test matches during the time frame (August 5, 2011 to August 4, 2012) which the ICC considered while making its picks. And by some distance, which should alone be enough to warrant him a slot in the Test Player’s short-list, as is the case is with his counterpart, Lasith Malinga, in One Day Internationals (ODIs). The Sri Lankan pacer finds himself in the ODI list just because of the number of wickets he has taken (read matches taken part in) in the format. His average of 28, and an economy of 5.4 is nothing astounding, and dwarfs in comparison to Ajmal’s (third on the list) average of 22, and economy of 4.1.”

Pakistani cricket fans have been holding protests and taking to social media forums to criticize the ICC decision. It remains to be seen whether the PCB’s decision makers will actually boycott the ceremony and what, if any, result it will bear.

Should the PCB go ahead and boycott the awards and register a strong protest to the ICC’s decision?

Can you think of a logical, facts-based reason which could be behind this decision?

Will this bring a change to the way nominations and short-lists are made for such awards?

Should the ICC make the decision-making process more transparent?

Dawn.com invites its readers to share their views and suggestions…

 

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83 Responses to “Ajmal exclusion”

  1. emraan says:

    well ajmal is by far the best spinner on the cricket scene right now…………the committee tht didn’t nominated him for an award is for whtever reason overlooked in their judgement. should’ve been straightforward decision. well tht don’t mean tht pakistani board nd fans should bring down the house jst for this one error don’t isolate urself for a minor snub. u can hve mild response for nt going to awards. tht should be end of it nd pcb shouldn’t take rounds for issuing new statments everyday over this matter

  2. Cafegadgets says:

    Yes we are one of the best team in the world.

    But PCB always knees down in front of ICC.

    PCB should raise the voice and boycott all the international event.

    Our Umpires
    Pakistani members in ICC
    Players
    Commentators

    Each the person how is connecting with ICC Or International cricket should boycott and record the protest.

  3. Abdullah Iqbal says:

    Saeed Ajmal is by far the best bowler and the spinner. How many bowlers like Ajmal has the world cricket produced in recent years when the pitches are prepared for the batsmen or seamers? He is a bowlers who delivers in all sorts of conditions, pitches and formats of the game.

    Why cant PCB lobby and talk to other boards about this injustice? Could ICC or the so called committee do this to a similar player from more stronger boards like India, Australia, etc?

    PCB should protest in every possible way and every possible forum.

  4. Genius says:

    AJMAL is “MAGICIAN”. Boycott ICC Award…..

  5. JRJ says:

    ICC is showing its hisotric bias against Pakistan~

  6. Assad Mir. says:

    Boycott! It’s no life or death matter; a simple boycott! South Africa has done it before and almost England did it so too. Why all the fuss? Pakistan should go ahead with the formal boycott – we need to stand for our players. They did their best all throughout the year and if PCB won’t stand behind them it’ll be a psychic blow for players. For people having problems with boycotting such an event – are to naive and not taking in account what goes in players mind in such conditions; how much it matters to them that board stand behind them.

    Boycott it – life may not change after that but will be remembered in history of cricket awards.(and rightly so!)

  7. Irshad says:

    Pakistan must start with bycotting the upcoming T20 World Cup, we will never be heard if we do not point out strongly how ICC is biased in its judgements towards Pakistan. We must also admit that its the weakness of PCB and the greed of some Pakistani match fixers why we are in a mess today.

  8. nadeem says:

    Pakistan is worth nothing any where is the world and including ICC . No one cares if we attend or boycott the awards . I feel sorry for saeed ajmal , but the he should be happy that at least he is playing cricket. Even if Pakistan is thrown out of world cricket no one will care. Beggars cant chose and we are very ignorant and arrogant beggars. I am surprised at Dawn , were they not aware of this reality before they started this forum. As usual i am sure this comment will not be displayed

  9. Saad says:

    @ Junaid : I agree with your statement that PCB should create an environment to uplift the image of Pakistan cricket team but I disagree what you said boycotting will not be effective. Its not the matter of acceptance only without any say . ICC took international cricket out of Pakistan list this country as dangerous place for cricket , later Lord’s umpiring issue it was Pakistan to accept and book a lost match in the register . I am not in favor of Amir, Butt & Asif but why with Pakistan only . Are we the only nation who are involved in match fixing. NOT AT ALL !! We are facing discrimination and same is the case of great spinner of Pakistan Saeed Ajmal .
    Just what is needed is explanation and reasoning for not including Ajmal in great players list . I am not sure whether we will come to know this ever !!!!

  10. Mr.T says:

    They should put a black strip on their arm as a protest on third match with Australia in UAE…

  11. Safia says:

    PCB should boycott the awards but must ask ICC officials the reasons and grounds based on which Ajmal is not excluded from the list.

  12. Kamran says:

    After players to umpires,Pakistan has earned its awards,even when Pakistani squad entered olympics 2012, the whole nation was saved from another depression of visa scam.First earn respect then then receive admiration.

  13. monim says:

    PCB should boycott the award ceremony, and voice strong protest. Learn to respect yourself before others will!!! Why do we bring India in every matter, they have nothing to do with this decision.
    I don’t know how long the talented Pakistani players will have to pay the price of the faults of their fellow players???

  14. Impala says:

    Boycott.

  15. kimi says:

    I have read many of the comments. Some ppl here said pk should think wisely and these are tough times for pk cricket. Comeon guys these are the things which ICC should have thought not pakistan. my 2nd point is i have read on cricinfo too that the panel of 32 also included 2 pakistanis one of them being majid bhatti. They should come forward and explain the whole procedure to us coz they know abut the whole procedure. and lastly we should involve ex players from other test playing nation like eng aus and srilanka and ask for the views so as to build pressure on ICC. I am sure they would agree with us. First show everyone that we are right and then DO BOYCOTT THE CEREMONY. because its no point going there and clapping for others when inside our hearts we feel our superstar have been undone by a harsh decision.

  16. Imran says:

    Does a player like Ajmal needs ICC recognition. I think Ajmal is not bigger than the game itself but he is certainly much bigger than those stupid who vote for nominations. AJMAL is great ICC is worst

  17. S Hassan Ali says:

    PCB should not lodge any protest or boycott the awards, we already have had enough of isolation. PCB should rather encourage Ajmal to work even harder and try to be the best next year. PCB’s stance actully reflects the stance of nation, where no one is ready to trust any institution. PCB should respect the verdict of ICC and do not try to appease the ridiculous stance of section of media, which is always there to inflame the emotions of common man rather than to edcuate him.

    NO BOYCOTT PCB, AT ANY COST

  18. Amjed Abro says:

    Yes, we should not attend the program. And we strongly condemn their decision through media. And through officially written letter to ICC by PCB.

    He is our prime bowler, we should stand with him.

  19. Fawad Siddiqui says:

    PCB should boycott the awards !!

  20. Pakistani says:

    ICC Panel that finalised the award list should be asked to forward to PCB the reasons and grounds due to which this has been done.PCB and the player have the right to know this.On the other hand ICC operates more like ‘Free Mason’org than a sports body.This also needs to be looked into.

  21. Shabbzz says:

    Boycott is the best way to lodge a complain and dissatisfaction. This is what one do, if we are not comfortable and respected we simply stand up and leave that place. Yes it might happen that people in that gathering do not care whether we leave or not but it gives one a sense of self respect that one rightly deserves.

    This is a totally biased decision of ICC to not consider the request of PCB and pure BS that ICC does not have any right or obligation to recommend. I guess they have forgotten what they did when it was Swann case few years back and how he was included on the request of ECB.

    Awards are only a motivation factor for that individual and does not necessarily reflect how good he is. His numbers and performances speaks for himself and says how good that individual is.

    We know Ajmal you are best and rest of the world is not willing to accept that !!!!

    Look how he mesmerized the Aussie batsmen recently and thrashed the mighty English batsmen in near past …….

  22. naeem says:

    Bycotting the awards is not going to achieve anything!! I would ask the Board to go and at the award make a small presenation. The presentation should be about the achievemnets of Saeed Ajmal Shame the commitee by throwing the statistcs on their face!!! And then make an announcement of a monetary award by PCB for Saeed Ajmal for having the best performance as a bowler in the world during that period. If those in the commitee do not feel ashamed then they musthave a very thick skin!!!! What do the two Pakistanis representatives say who were members of the committee? Did hey object? Or did they remain silent?

  23. Husnain Shahid says:

    Yes, PCB should boycott ICC Awards. They should not allow Aleem Dar to attend the awards to show the appointment after Ajmal’s exclusion. Thanks!

  24. porkchop says:

    who cares? does it makes any difference if PCB attends or not????

  25. Shaan says:

    why you people are making a big deal about it?? move on, boycotting will not give him any award, also who cares if you boycott other nations will be there!

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