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Suspended spinner Saeed Ajmal is doing everything to correct his action but it is an "uphill task" for him to make it to the Pakistan team for the World Cup, says PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan.
"I have just spoken to Ajmal before I came here. He is trying very hard. There are a team of experts working with him headed by Saqlain but the point is he himself admitted that ''Sir mujhe maloom hain ki galti kahaan huyi hain aur main usse theek karne ki koshish bhi kar raha hoon (Sir I know where I have made a mistake and trying hard to rectify that)," PCB chief Khan said during a media interaction at the Pakistan High Commission.
"I have been told that he has been able to bring his flexion angle (elbow use) down considerably but it is still above permissible limit," Khan added.
"Ajmal is confident but it indeed is an uphill task. It's not only doosra or faster ball that is in question but his entire action and it is being changed. When you ask me what are his chances of playing I would say it is 50-50 as of now," said the career diplomat, who is on a visit to Asian countries to seek resumption of cricketing ties in Pakistan.
Khan was hopeful that he would be able to convince cricket boards to send their A and junior teams to Pakistan.
"I would be meeting ICC chief Mr N Srinivasan in Dubai 3-4 days time. People over here know my track record in promoting relationships through cricket. Look India playing Pakistan in India is not a problem. But problem is India's senior team travelling to Pakistan, which is not possible due to security concerns," he said.
"We will be playing India next year in UAE. Post 2015, there can be an assessment of security situation and see if we can persuade bigger teams to come," Khan explained.
"Look, we are resigned to the fate that no senior team will travel to Pakistan as of now. What we want is the tours of A teams, U-19 teams and school teams so that cricketing ties at junior level," said Khan, who is leaving for Dhaka today, followed by Colombo to speak to cricket board officials of both countries.
Asked what does India versus Pakistan series mean for global cricket, the veteran administrator said, "There is a report by ECB chief Giles Clarke that Indo-Pak series is more important than the Ashes."
Khan said that it is his endeavour to improve cricket atgrassroots.
"It is my aim to improve stadium, schools, universities and club cricket. I would like to see that overall standard improves," he said.
Image: Saeed Ajmal
Photograph: Gareth Copley/Getty Images