Aamer Jamal's injury-riddled time with Warwickshire has concluded prematurely after fitness issues restricted him to just three appearances across different formats during his six-week county cricket spell.
Jamal joined Warwickshire in April following his exclusion from Pakistan's T20 World Cup squad, which made him available for county cricket. He was promptly included in the squad to face Nottinghamshire less than 24 hours after arriving in the UK.
However, he managed to take only one wicket in his initial two County Championship matches. Head coach Mark Robinson noted that Jamal was "struggling for rhythm" and "not reaching the desired pace." Subsequently, Jamal was sidelined due to a back injury and has not featured in the Championship since.
Although his contract also included the Blast, he was limited to a single, unsuccessful appearance, where he bowled one wicketless over that conceded 25 runs and was dismissed for a first-ball duck. Warwickshire's director of cricket, Gavin Larsen, stated that Jamal had "worked incredibly hard with our medical and strength and conditioning team," but time had run out to get him back to full fitness. Larsen mentioned that Jamal was very disappointed about not being able to showcase his skills to the fans.
Jamal’s fellow Pakistani, Hasan Ali, has also faced injury troubles at Warwickshire, not playing in the Blast since June 14 due to an elbow issue. Ali is expected to remain with the club until the end of July.
Warwickshire has struggled with a lack of seam-bowling options this season, with Craig Miles, Liam Norwell, and Chris Rushworth all enduring lengthy injury layoffs. Despite this, their spin-heavy side has excelled in the Blast, topping the North Group after 10 games, but they languish in eighth place in Division One of the Championship, still seeking their first win.
To strengthen their squad for next summer, Warwickshire has signed former England Under-19 seamer Ethan Bamber from Middlesex, a move announced on Monday. Larsen expressed his excitement, noting that Bamber was highly sought after, and they were thrilled he chose Edgbaston as his new home.
Middlesex's director of cricket, Alan Coleman, expressed his disappointment over Bamber's departure, despite offering him a long-term contract extension. Coleman acknowledged Bamber's ambition and desire to challenge himself in a new environment, as well as his passion for playing for England.