Best bowling performances of Saeed Ajmal

Let us here have a look at the five best bowling performances of Saeed Ajmal. He is arguably the best off spinners in recent times who has a great control over his variations which usually choke the best of the bastmen. He is a great weapon for limited overs cricket, but at the same time he has proved his mettle in Test cricket as well. He has played most of his international cricket for Pakistan overseas because of the poor security conditions back home. He has been the lone warrior for his team most of the times, thus many of his great performances came in a losing cause. Here are his best five:

5. 3 for 26 vs Sri Lanka

After scoring 260 runs in the finals of the Asia Cup, Pakistan had to bowl well to defend their title and Ajmal did exactly the same. He bowled it very tight and did not allow any of the bastmen to free their arms. He took the top 3 wickets for just 26 runs in his 10 overs. The Sri Lankan batsmen were constantly guessing, what the next ball will be? But the hammering which the other bowlers got from the other end took the pressure off the Lankans, thus resulting in a comfortable victory for them.

4. 5 for 24 vs India

Pakistan had already won the 3 match ODI series against India 2-0. India were playing for pride at home. But Saeed Ajmal was in no mood to be a good guest to the hosts. He bowled exceptionally well and took a five wicket haul to bundle out India for only 167. Unfortunately Pakistan lost the match by 10 runs.

3. 4 for 26 vs South Africa

Pakistan is one of the best T20 sides in the world. They have won one World T20, have been in the final of one and in the semi finals of all except for the one in 2014. And Saeed Ajmal has played the biggest role in the success of the team. This is probably his best World T20 performance and it came against South Africa in which he took 4 wickets for just 26 runs. Pakistan were defending a modest total of 148 in the 2010 tournament. The Proteas were having some tough time against the medium pacers and Ajmal made it even tougher when he came on. His wickets included the vital ones of Kallis, De Villiers, Boucher and Botha helping his team win the game. He later became the villain in the same tournament for Pakistan when he lost the Semi Final to Mike Hussey.

2. 6 for 96 & 4 for 51 vs South Africa

South Africa white-washed Pakistan in 2013, but Pakistan did put up a fight in the second Test when Ajmal carried the team on his shoulders. He showed his class in the first innings and picked up 6 wickets to give Pakistan a very small lead. But in the second innings, Pakistan tumbled down for just 169 setting a target of 182 for the South African batsmen to chase. It was speculated to be an easy stroll for the Proteas but Ajmal with his tricks picked up 4 wickets in the innings and almost clinched it for his team. But at the end this sensational 10 wicket haul in Capetown went in vain when South Africa finally got to 182 with 4 wickets in hand.

1. 7 for 55 vs England

England and Pakistan were in the UAE for the 3 Test match series. England chose to bat in conditions which looked quite good for the bastmen. But Ajmal has never been a slave to the conditions. He spun his way to pack off 7 English batsmen in the first innings which left England in a disarray. In the second innings as well after the initial blows from Gul, Ajmal took 3 wickets to bowl out England for just 160. Pakistan won the Test by 10 wickets.