Pakistan's ace off-spinner Saeed Ajmal has vowed to return in time for next year's World Cup after he was suspended on Tuesday indefinitely from international cricket for an illegal bowling action.
The world's leading ODI bowler blamed the International Cricket Council (ICC) ruling on his not usual right elbow and said that he would appeal. Ajmal shrugged off the ICC announcement as not an issue.
But the ban on Ajmal could cause serious problems for Pakistan, firstly in their upcoming series with Australia and also in the World Cup, which they won in 1992. It comes as part of an ICC crackdown on illegal bowling actions, where the arm is bent more than 15 degrees, in international cricket, Sport24 reported.
Ajmal, who was cleared on medical grounds when his action was first reported in 2009, said that his elbow is not usual, so that's why it seems that he bends it more than normal 15 degree allowed.
The off spinner also said that they would go into appeal soon, adding that he would be in action in the World Cup next year. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) later said that it has yet to decide whether to appeal.
The ICC said that Ajmal had been suspended with immediate effect following tests by specialists at Australia's National Cricket Centre in Brisbane. Ajmal was reported for a suspect action after last month's first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.
He can apply for a reassessment once he has modified his action.
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Ajmal is Pakistan's key bowler, with 178 wickets in 35 Tests and 183 in 111 ODIs and is also the leading wicket-taker in all Twenty20 matches with 85 in 63 matches. He is ranked number one in ODIs.
The off-spinner would require undergoing remedial work on his bowling action at Perth's University of Western Australia, where human movement expert Daryl Foster will work on his action, the report added.
