SHARJAH: Pakistan and Australia will focus on spin when they start a three-match one-day series in Sharjah today, despite the absence of top bowler Saeed Ajmal, who is suspended over his suspect bowling action.
Pakistan have been hard pressed to compensate for the missing Ajmal, who has single-handedly won them matches in all three formats of the game in the last five years.
He was reported for a suspect bowling action on Pakistan’s August tour of Sri Lanka and was subsequently banned from international cricket after a bio-mechanic analysis found his action illegal.
Skipper Misbah-ul Haq stressed Pakistan must move on.
“It’s really difficult to fill Ajmal’s gap because he has been the number one or two bowler in the one-day rankings, but if Ajmal is not there we must try to fill his gap and move forward,” said Misbah yesterday.
Pakistan have two left-arm spinners in the squad in Raza Hasan, who took 2-17 in Pakistan’s six wicket defeat in the lone Twenty20 in Dubai on Sunday, and the experienced Zulfiqar Babar.AFP
