WHEN Saeed Ajmal walks into the New Road dressing room next week, the Pakistan off-spinner will find one familar face.

The 31-year-old is expected to be with Worcestershire next Wednesday after returning home following Pakistan’s tour of the West Indies and Ireland to secure a new visa.

Ajmal, who will replace Australian all-rounder Damien Wright, will team up with Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan for the remainder of the Friends Life t20 tournament before becoming the County’s overseas player for the second half of the LV= County Championship and Clydesdale Bank 40 campaign.

Shakib performed Ajmal’s role at Worcestershire last season and believes Steve Rhodes’ side will have a very good player on and off the field.

During the recent two-Test series against the West Indies, Ajmal picked up 17 wickets at 14.47, while in the five one-day internationals he claimed six at 20.83 and in the only Twenty20 match he finished with figures of 2-35.

In the two ODIs in Ireland, his off-spin saw him take seven wickets at just six apiece.

“Saeed will be here soon and it will be a good opportunity for me to play alongside him,” 24-year-old all-rounder Shakib said.

“I know him personally and he is a very good guy.

“He is a great bowler and has been bowling very well over the last two years.

“He’s also a funny guy and will be an interesting character in the dressing room.”

Shakib, who during his eight championship matches with Worcestershire last term took 35 wickets including a career-best 7-32 at Lord’s against Middlesex, says that the New Road dressing room is a great place to be.

Despite the results, the spirit in the camp at the County has always remained high and the slow left-arm bowler believes it is because the team stick together.

“The boys are playing as a team,” he said.

“They share each others’ successes and that is the great thing about Worcestershire.”

Shakib, who is also an explosive batsman, believes that the pitch at New Road is different to the rest of the country but feels if a player applies themselves then they can succeed.

He said: “It is different to other clubs, it was very sporting, if you bowl well there is always something and if you work hard as a batsman then you can score runs.”

Meanwhile, Worcestershire seamer Chris Whelan will complete his two-match ban for Kidderminster Victoria in the Birmingham League Premier Division on Saturday following a level one breach of the league code of conduct for showing dissent towards an umpire in the match against Wellington.