2015 World Cup My target said BY Saeed Ajmal

Saeed Ajmal, the Pakistan offspinner, has said he will ensure that there are enough quality spinners to replace him in the national side when he retires. Ajmal, the top-ranked spinner in the ICC rankings in both Tests and ODIs, also said that he was optimistic of playing till the 2015 World Cup.

"I hope by the time I am ready to walk out, another Ajmal would be ready to take my place," Ajmal told ESPNcricinfo. "I will ensure this and it's my responsibility to do so. Pakistan has very talented players and there is no dearth of spin bowlers. There are a lot of good spinners. (Abdur) Rehman is playing and Raza Hasan is a talented boy heading in the right direction."

Ajmal, 34, made a late entry into international cricket at the age of 30 but has earned a reputation for being one of the best spinners in the world. Ajmal didn't play his first Test till he was almost 32 but has since picked up 107 wickets in 20 Tests. He said that he did not worry about having lost so much time before he got the chance to play international cricket.

"Age definitely plays a key role but I have no regret for being late into international cricket," Ajmal said. "Who knows if I had played earlier I might not have been the same Ajmal. What I am today is more important for me.

"I am currently 34 and I know my age won't let me play perhaps more than three years. But it's also a matter of fitness that can actually extend a player's life. I am optimistic that I can play at least till the 2015 World Cup before calling my time from the game."

Ajmal hoped that he had inspired enough young players to take up spin bowling. He is also planning to launch a cricket academy next year in his city Faisalabad. Ajmal recently wrecked England with his doosras and off-breaks and finished with 24 wickets in the three-Test series in the UAE.

"A lot of bowlers around the world are so much keen about the doosra and I love to help. Being a quality spin bowler is tough and it takes time to obtain results. You need to be very patient.

"A spin bowler normally does not inspire kids as compared to a fast bowler who creates an instant impact with the youngsters who want to play cricket. But I think I have inspired a lot of youngsters to play the game.

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Lahore: Pakistan coach Dav Whatmore said that he favours having separate players for the three different formats of the sport.

Whatmore also said in an interview given to Geo News channel that he was ready to face challenges in the coming days as the coach of the Pakistan team.

 

Pakistan coach Dav Whatmore said that he favours having separate players for the three different formats of the sport.

Whatmore also said in an interview given to Geo News channel that he was ready to face challenges in the coming days as the coach of the Pakistan team.

Whatmore made it clear that he enjoyed the full support of the PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf and said he had taken up the job because he saw it as a big challenge and was already enjoying working in Pakistan.

“The depth of talent in Pakistan cricket is amazing. I got a chance to see the talent while witnessing the recent domestic competitions in Lahore and Rawalpindi,” he said.

The former Australian Test batsman, who joined the Pakistan team before the Asia Cup last month replacing Mohsin Khan in controversial circumstances, insisted that in order to produce quality cricketers it was necessary to tap into the immense cricket talent in Pakistan at the domestic and grassroot level.

“It will take time to make Pakistan a top cricket nation and we will also face many challenges and difficult times in future but it can be done,” he said.

Whatmore said he and fielding coach, Julian Fountain had already prepared six month, 12 month and 18 month plans for individual players to further polish their talents.

Asked about reports that he was a hard person to get alongwith and that in the past he had faced problems while working with the Sri Lankan and Bangladesh teams, Whatmore said many things written about him were not true.

“A lot of the perception of me as a person and coach is wrong,” he added.

Whatmore also insisted that he enjoyed a good relationship with the national selection committee as he believed in team work.

The Australian, who is the fourth foreign coach hired by the Pakistan board since 1999, said he had enjoyed his first experience with the team in the recent Asia Cup.

“Unfortunately we couldn’t win all our matches in the tournament but we ended up bringing back the cup home and that gave me satisfaction. The defeat to India was a setback but they played well on that day,” he said.

Pakistan Premier League: National cricketers join the bandwagon

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) received a huge breakthrough in its bid to launch the Pakistan Premier League (PPL) when various national and international cricketers showed interest in featuring in the planned event. 

The PCB, desperate to revive international cricket in Pakistan, is making huge efforts and using all its available resources to make the league a reality. The board, under chairman Zaka Ashraf, is confident that holding the tournament featuring renowned international cricketers will help a in reviving international cricket in Pakistan.

Meanwhile, according to an official close to the matter, following lukewarm response from foreign players after efforts from its officials, the PCB is now taking help from the country’s leading cricketers to use their personal relations and convince players to tour Pakistan.

“A senior member of the team is playing a vital role in this regard,” the official told The Express Tribune. “The cricketer’s representative is also in close touch with the PCB as well as foreign players on the issue. He’s already given a presentation which was impressive and is set to give an important one later this month.”

Jayasuryia, Symonds on board

The official added that the player helped get confirmation from former Sri Lanka captain Sanath Jayasuriya and retired Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds with both agreeing to be part of the league straight away. The name of West Indian legend Brian Lara has already been linked with PPL.

“These players have promised to feature whenever they are invited. This is just the beginning and we are expecting more confirmations. Although these cricketers have passed their prime, their participation will convince other players to come forward. The PCB will also take help from other players who feature on foreign tournaments regularly.”

Meanwhile, according to reports, four companies have shown interest in being associated with the league, a development that has encouraged the PCB. The idea was first floated by former chairman Nasim Ashraf in 2007 but, under Ijaz Butt, the plan was abandoned. However, the success of similar leagues in Bangladesh, Australia and South Africa, after the success of the IPL in India, prompted the board to re-launch its efforts

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