Ajmal has constantly bamboozled batsmen throughout the past year

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has lashed out at the International Cricket Council (ICC) for omitting spinner Saeed Ajmal from the shortlist for the ICC Test Player of the Year award.

As of right now, the PCB have asked the ICC to review their decision and can only hope that Ajmal is added to the shortlist.

The 34-year-old spinner took 72 Test wickets from August 4 2011 and August 6 2012, including 24 at an average of 14.70 in a 3-0 thrashing against England, who were the number one Test team during that time.

Ajmal is currently the highest ranked spinner on the ICC Test bowlers rankings at third, and was also included in the ICC Test Team of the Year.

However, Ajmal was omitted from the four-man shortlist, which features South Africa’s Hashim Amla and Vernon Philander, Sri Lanka wicketkeeper batsman Kumar Sangakkara and Australia captain Michael Clarke.

A panel of 30 members, which includes former players, officials and journalists, will chose which cricketer is most deserving of the award, which will be handed out during  the award ceremony in Colombo on September 15.

Speaking exclusively to ESPNcricinfo, a PCB spokesman said: “During the voting period Ajmal produced some significant performances including the series against England, it’s fair to show a concern on Ajmal’s omission from the top performers and hence the PCB has written to the ICC and expect them to reconsider.”

The ICC have the ability to add players to the shortlist, which was the case with England spinner Graeme Swann in 2010, when he was omitted and then re-added to the list after the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) submitted a request to the ICC.

South Africa have also been unhappy with the ICC’s choice of players in the past, and even boycotted the awards ceremony in 2009 after all their players had been overlooked.