Fawad Ahmed today moved a step closer to featuring in the Ashes after being added to the Australia A squad.
As things stand, the Pakistan-born Ahmed would not be eligible for an Australian passport until August 18 and he was omitted from both the Ashes and second-string touring parties when they were announced back in April.
However, a likely change to the country’s Citizenship Act could speed things up and, with International Cricket Council eligibility rules not applying to A teams, leg-spinner Ahmed will be free to play in four and three-day games against Ireland and Gloucestershire later this month.
Ahmed, 31, said: “I am very happy. It is a great opportunity for me to prove myself for Australia A in overseas conditions.
“I am grateful to Cricket Australia and the national selection panel for this chance and I will do my best to repay their faith in me. I just came here for a better life. I was thinking to just survive here and to be like other people who came as an immigrant but this is something amazing.”
Proposed changes to the Citizenship Act, allowing special cases to be fast-tracked, are one stage away from being made law after yesterday passing through the House of Representatives.
Reports suggest the amendments could pass through the Senate before the end of the month. The first Ashes Test begins at Trent Bridge on July 10.
Ahmed will fly to the UK this weekend, meaning he is out of Australia A’s tour opener against Scotland which begins tomorrow, and will have two opportunities to impress ahead of the Ashes.
National selection panel chairman John Inverarity said: “We are pleased to be able to provide emerging cricketers with an opportunity to show their abilities.
“Fawad is a spin bowler of interest and we look forward to seeing how he performs for Australia A.”
With Nathan Lyon the only front-line spinner named in Australia’s 16-man Ashes squad, it seems highly likely that, should Ahmed receive clearance, he will be added to the party.
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