LAHORE – Pakistan will not boycott the International Cricket Council (ICC) awards despite registering a protest over the omission of off-spinner Saeed Ajmal from the shortlist of candidates but no senior board official will attend the ceremony.
“We have our strong reservations over Ajmal’s omission from the awards list but have decided not to boycott the ceremony but we will only be sending some squad members to the event,” Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spokesman said on Friday.
The annual ICC ceremony will be held on Saturday in Colombo but Ajmal – the top wicket-taker in Tests for the qualifying period – is not shortlisted for Test cricketer of the year, ODI player of the year or international cricketer of the year. However, he has been picked in the ICC Test and ODI team of the year.
The PCB earlier had lodged a written protest with the ICC after Ajmal was left off the awards shortlist last week and ICC refused to reconsider Ajmal’s case, saying that the voting results are final and binding on everyone.
Ajmal was in the longlist this year but missed out when an independent 32-member jury that included former Pakistan captain Aamer Sohail and Pakistan journalist Majid Bhatti nominated Sri Lanka batsman Kumar Sangakkara, South Africa fast bowler Vernon Philander, Australia captain Michael Clarke and South Africa opener Hashim Amla for Test Cricketer of the Year.
The 34-year-old Ajmal, took 72 Test wickets between August 4, 2011 and August 6, 2012 - the qualifying period for the award. That haul included 24 at 14.70 against England, the then No. 1 side in the world, helping Pakistan sweep them 3-0 in January. He said the meeting of senior PCB officials was held at the PCB headquarters headed by PCB chief Chaudhry Zaka Ashraf.
It was decided in the meeting that whether to go for further ‘robust protest’. He said the PCB termed Ajmal’s omission an injustice to the talent and achievements of great Pakistan off-spinner. “The PCB has strongly registered its protest with the ICC already and has conveyed them the sentiments of the people of Pakistan and fans and legends of cricket on this issue,” he said. He said that the PCB also wanted changes to the process.
“The matter will be raised in the upcoming CEC meeting of the ICC and a review of the process would be sought to avoid any such incidents in future. Corrective measures would be suggested. The PCB will impress upon this issue at other forums of cricketing community and all necessary input will be sought to devise a mechanism which is performance based and is acceptable to a wider segment of cricket fans,” he concluded.