World Cup: Saeed Ajmal Counts Pakistan Out of Semi-Final Race

Pakistan's suspended off-spinner Saeed Ajmal does not believe that the national cricket team will be able to make the semi-finals of the upcoming World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. (No Imran Pep Talk for Pakistan Team)

Speaking on Geo Super channel, the seasoned campaigner tipped Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and India to be in the semi-finals.

"Pakistan's bowling is not strong for this tournament and if Mohammad Hafeez is also not cleared to bowl then our bowling is going to be tested a lot," he said. (Pakistan Can Change History, Beat India in World Cup, Says Younis Khan)

Ajmal, who will fly to Chennai this week for the official ICC bowling assessment test to get his modified bowling action cleared, said that without him and Hafeez Pakistan has lost experienced bowlers in a mega event.

He said the Pakistan batsmen will have to perform extraordinarily well in all matches to give the team a strong chance of winning their matches. "But I still don't think Pakistan can be counted among the favorites to make the semi-finals. I see Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and India in the top four because they are the teams in form at the moment." (Pakistan Not Favourites to Win World Cup, Admits Coach Waqar Younis)

Ajmal suspended from international cricket since last September said that the sort of form AB de Villiers, Virat Kohli and Brendon McCullum had shown in the run up to the World Cup indicated they were going to score in the mega event.

"I regard de Villiers as a class act. The fastest fifty and century he scored against West Indies just shows the sort of talent he possesses. He is one batsman who plays his shots with complete assurance and power and after taking into count the strength of the opposition's bowling," Ajmal stated.

The off-spinner said he had no doubt that senior batsman, Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan will have to play their best cricket in the World Cup if Pakistan is do well in the event.

"They will have to provide the way for the other players with some big scores," he added. (Misbah to Quit ODIs After World Cup)

The off-spinner said he was disappointed at missing out on the World Cup as he loved bowling on Australian pitches where spinners generally got more bounce than in other places. (Pakistan Team Meet Survivors of Peshawar Attack)