Optimistic about Saeed Ajmal's reworked action: Saqlain Mushtaq

Saeed Ajmal

Former Pakistan off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq, who has been working with Saeed Ajmal to get his action right, has said that Ajmal will be able to resume playing for county side Worcestershire as well as Pakistan once his changed action is accepted.

Ajmal hasn’t played a game for Pakistan since August of this year after being banned from bowling due to all his deliveries being found to be exceeding the 15-degree limit.

But according to Saqlain, there has been a “massive improvement” in Ajmal’s action and even his follow-through has undergone a significant change.

"We've changed the action and follow through.

“We have changed his horizontal bowling arm movement and, at the moment, we are very positive. There is massive improvement - 60 to 70, maybe even 70 to 80% we have changed and improved his action," Saqlain was quoted as saying to BBC Sport.

He sounded optimistic about Ajmal returning to competitive cricket once his action gets cleared.

"As soon as his ban ends, he will obviously come straight back to playing for Worcester and not only them but also Pakistan," he said.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had earlier asked the ICC to shift the dates of his biometrics tests, which were meant to be conducted on Ajmal as they felt his action still needed some improvements.