Saeed Ajmal may miss first Test
ESPNcricinfo staff
January 5, 2011
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Saeed Ajmal, the Pakistan offspinner, is likely to miss the first Test against New Zealand in Hamilton, which starts on Friday, after returning home to attend the funeral of his father.
The PCB said necessary arrangements had been made to facilitate Ajmal’s return to Pakistan after his father died on Tuesday. Ajmal played in Pakistan’s tour game against a New Zealand Cricket XI that ended on Tuesday, and did not bowl in the second innings of that game.
“He is devastated by the sudden death of his father who expired after being taken to hospital, complaining of fever in the cold weather,” a board official said.
Ajmal, who’s played nine of Pakistan’s 17 Tests since he made his debut in July 2009, was expected to be in the XI for the first match of the two-Test series. The only other spin option in the Pakistan squad is left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman.
Pakistan have already made one change to their squad since they first announced it, bringing in seamer Sohail Tanvir after he was pronounced fit.
The PCB also said it would announce the squad for the one-day series in New Zealand by next week.
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