Saeed Ajmal to play for Faisalabad in Quaid-e-Azam Trophy

39-year old Saeed Ajmal will represent Faisalabad in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, Pakistan’s premier domestic tournament. The veteran spinner last played first class cricket in the year 2015. Eight domestic sides selected their squad, with eight players of 20 roped in through draft process for the first time in the history of Pakistan cricket. A sum of 12 players, including two rookies were selected from the traditional process of picking cricketers from their own senior inter-district.

Ajmal’s international career was brought to a halt after the spinner’s bowling action was declared illegal by the ICC in September 2014. He last represented Pakistan during their disastrous series against Bangladesh, where the hosts secured victory in both the ODI series as well as the in the T20Is. He took part in the 2016 PSL but failed to make an impact, playing for Islamabad United.

PCB confident of the new system

The PCB is confident of promising prospects through the pipeline, and backed the revamped structure. They have released a statement where they have shown full faith in the new system which will encourage fair selection, as the individuals will go on to represent the national team in the time to come.

“The eight regions expressed their satisfaction at the smooth conduct of the ceremony and wholeheartedly accepted the new system which encourages meritorious selections,” the PCB said in a statement. “The regions are our arms; we want to give them maximum support since they produce talent at the grassroots level and are the reason for Pakistan cricket’s success at the highest level which has recently culminated in the historic Champions Trophy success. Our domestic system is on the road to improvement and that’s the reason that the Player Selection Ceremony was introduced this year to add a new exciting dimension for the players besides further encouraging the role of new blood through induction of two Emerging Players in each squad.”