LAHORE: Seasoned Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez may be suspended for one year from bowling as he has again been reported with a suspected illegal bowling action during the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.

“As this report will constitute the player’s second report within a two-year period, the first of which led to a suspension, should the second independent assessment also determines that he bowls with an illegal action, he will automatically be suspended from bowling in international cricket for a 12-month period,” an ICC press release issued on Monday said.

“The match officials’ report, which was handed over to the Pakistan management, cited concerns about the legality of the 34-year-old’s bowling action during the course of the match,” ICC added.

Mohammad Hafeez plays a shot on the final day of the opening Test against Sri Lanka. — AFP

Hafeez, 34, was suspended from bowling in November 2014. Following remedial work on his bowling action he was reassessed and permitted to resume bowling in April 2015. As a result of this report, he will now be required to submit to further testing within 14 days, and, during this period, Hafeez is permitted to continue bowling in international cricket until the results of the testing are known.

Hafeez, a veteran of 43 Tests, 161 ODIs and 62 T20 Internationals, took two wickets for 40 runs in the first innings of Galle Test, and his both deliveries were declared suspected. In November, last year, his wicket-taking deliveries were also declared as suspected as he was reported.

It may be mentioned that Pakistan another top off-spinner Saeed Ajmal was also reported in Sri Lanka last year. Though later he had cleared his bowling action from the ICC-accredited lab in Chennai, he has been sidelined from international cricket as his bowling lacks effectiveness.

Right-handed batsman Hafeez was also cleared by Chennai lab. Hafeez, once having achieved the world best ranking of all-rounder, however faces a bleak future in the wake of his bowling action being reported, because he — only as a batsman — may not retain his place in the playing XI in any of the three formats.

Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2015

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