PAKISTAN IN BANGLADESH 2015

Ajmal's mystery becomes history

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Saeed Ajmal was playing in his first ODI with a modified action but he struggled on his comeback, ending with figures of 10-0-74-0. © Cricbuzz

For Saeed Ajmal, August 2014 was the darkest day in his career. After the end of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, Ajmal was reported for a suspect action and he was banned from bowling for a year. With the 2015 World Cup approaching, it was a body blow for Pakistan and Ajmal worked very hard to remodel his action under the guidance of Saqlain Mushtaq. After six months, Ajmal came back into international cricket with a remodelled action against Bangladesh in Mirpur on Friday.

There were several changes in Ajmal's action. In his previous action, the bend in his elbow was obvious but in the new one, his action was round-arm and his arm was straight. His pace had quickened. In his first over, he was accurate but did not get much turn. Tamim survived a confident LBW shout but Pakistan did not take the review. In the third over, he had another LBW appeal and opted for the review but it was turned down. He continued to target the stumps and after the end of his first spell, he had figures of 4-0-7-0, a decent start.

However, in the first spell, he was drifting the ball onto the pads a lot and in the second spell, Tamim had capitalised after settling in. To the right-handed Mushfiqur Rahim, he was losing his length. In the 35th over, the combination of a lack of variety and poor lengths cost Ajmal.

Realising that Ajmal was struggling to generate turn, both batsmen went after him. On the third ball, Ajmal bowled a short and flat delivery outside off and Tamim used the pace to guide it to third man. Ajmal darted the fifth ball down the leg side and was clipped to fine leg.

The 37th over, and Ajmal's seventh, went downhill. It was on leg stump and Tamim blasted him for two fours and a six. After a decent start, his bowling was falling apart and the lack of variations, something he was renowned for, was hurting him. In the eighth over, Ajmal lost his length to the right-hander and Rahim slog-swept him for two sixes over deep midwicket. In his final over, Ajmal was too quick and short and Rahim helped himself to two fours by using his pace.

After a start of 4-0-7-0, Ajmal conceded 67 runs in his last six overs. No doosra, no offspin, no variety. It was a sorry comeback for Ajmal. The ICC crackdown has robbed the cricketing world of two mystery spinners. Sunil Narine, playing for Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, has a more side-arm action and he has struggled for penetration. His economy rate has also taken a beating in the couple of matches that he has played.

Ajmal's poor show in the first ODI has put immense pressure on Pakistan, considering that he has been picked in all three formats. Considering his value in Tests, this performance does not bode well. The ICC may have cleaned the game up by banning bowlers with an illegal action, but it has potentially robbed the mystery of a bowler.

© Cricbuzz

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