Karachi, Sept. 7 (ANI): Following the International Cricket Council's (ICC) refusal to rethink the exclusion of Saeed Ajmal in the ICC awards shortlist for Test Cricketer of the Year, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Zaka Ashraf has hinted at a possible boycott of the awards function by Pakistani players in protest.
"We are facing a lot of pressure from the public and from our former players to push for his inclusion. I think the ICC should check whether the independent jury is coming up with the best name and they should not give away the due right of any player in the world," The Express Tribune quoted Ashraf, as saying.
He also urged the ICC to rectify the jury's decision, saying: "If anyone else has more wickets than Ajmal, then we are ready to withdraw our concern and instead we will support their pick."
"Meanwhile we probably have to give a second thought to even boycott the function as a robust protest," said Ashraf.
Earlier, despite a written complaint lodged by the PCB, Ajmal was not added to the shortlist for the Test Cricketer of the Year award.
Ajmal, who made it to the nominations but lost out to Michael Clarke, Kumar Sangakkara, Vernon Philander and Hashim Amla in the shortlist, picked up 72 wickets from 12 Tests played in the qualifying period, and the PCB had expressed its disappointment after he failed to make the cut.
The ICC, however, had confirmed that changes to the shortlist will not be possible now and the list remained final.
He was, however, named in the ICC Team of the Year shortlist; the only Pakistani to have made it into the particular list. (ANI)
