ABU DHABI: Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez has been reported with a suspect bowling action during the first Test against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Thursday.

“The match officials’ report, which was handed over to the Pakistan team manager Moin Khan, cited concerns about the legality of the 34-year-old’s bowling action,” the ICC said.

Hafeez’s bowling action will now be scrutinised further under the ICC process relating to suspected illegal bowling actions reported in Tests, one-day matches and Twenty20s.

As per the ICC rules on dealing with the suspect action, Hafeez is required to undergo testing within 21 days, and, during this period, Hafeez is permitted to continue bowling in international cricket until the results of the testing are known.

Hafeez is the second Pakistani behind Saeed Ajmal, also an off-spinner, to be reported in a major crackdown on bowlers with suspect actions the ICC launched in June this year.

Zimbabwe match referee Andy Pycroft was the common official in both the Ajmal and Hafeez cases.

Hafeez’s action was also reported during a Twenty20 league in India in September this year, but the PCB said the bowler did some remedial work in the national cricket academy in Lahore.

He was not reported during the 2-0 win over Australia which finished last week.

Hafeez’s action was cleared after being reported in a one-day match against the West Indies in Brisbane in 2005.

Before the Australia series Hafeez said he has been bowling with the same action for 11 years.

“Look, I have not changed my action. It’s the same for 11 years now, so I am confident and have no worries over my action,” Hafeez had said last month.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2014

Opinion

Editorial

IHK resolution
Updated 08 Nov, 2024

IHK resolution

If the BJP administration were to listen to Kashmiris, it could pave the way for the resumption of the political process in IHK.
Climate realities
08 Nov, 2024

Climate realities

THE Air Quality Index in Lahore once again shot past the 1,000-level mark on Wednesday morning, registering at an...
Rule by fear
08 Nov, 2024

Rule by fear

THE abduction of an opposition MNA, as claimed by PTI, is yet another grim episode in Pakistan’s ongoing crisis of...
Trump 2.0
Updated 07 Nov, 2024

Trump 2.0

It remains to be seen how his promises to bring ‘peace’ to Middle East reconcile with his blatantly pro-Israel bias.
Fait accompli
07 Nov, 2024

Fait accompli

A SLEW of secretively conceived and hastily enacted legislation has achieved its intended result: the powers of the...
IPP contracts
07 Nov, 2024

IPP contracts

THE government expects the ongoing ‘negotiations’ with power producers aimed at revising the terms of sovereign...