In a desperate attempt to resume bowling, veteran Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez has decided to skip against plying his trade for Comilla Victorians in the Bangladesh Premier League and will instead remain in Lahore to work on his bowling after being suspended by the International Cricket Council. Hafeez was suspended from bowling after he failed the biomechanics test which found several of his deliveries exceeding the 15 degrees level of tolerance.
“I have decided to not go to Bangladesh to play for the Comilla Victorians and instead I will remain in Lahore and work on my bowling action before taking a biomechanics test again at a ICC accredited laboratory,” Hafeez said.
“I will focus on why my action has been reported again and sort things out. For me the coming tour to New Zealand and the Pakistan Super League are very important. There is lot of cricket coming up with the national team next year,” he added.
This is the third time Hafeez has been suspended from bowling by the apex body of the game. He was first reported for a suspect action in December 2014 and was subsequently suspended from bowling. However, he was permitted to resume bowling in April 2015 after his bowling action was found to be legal following an independent reassessment.
His action came under the scanner for the second time during the Galle Test against Sri Lanka in June 2015. He was subsequently suspended from bowling in international cricket for 12 months from July 2015 as it was his second suspension within 24 months of the initial suspension.
The 37-year old, who was set to join the Bangladeshi franchise on Saturday (November 18), was reported for suspect bowling action during the third One-Day International against Sri Lanka last month in UAE. Later, he went to England but failed in the biomechanics test.
In a statement released the ICC said:
“The assessment revealed that the majority of his deliveries exceeded the 15 degrees level of tolerance permitted under the regulations. In accordance with Article 11.1 of the ICC Illegal Bowling Regulations, Hafeez’s international suspension will also be recognised and enforced by all National Cricket Federations for domestic cricket events played in their own jurisdiction. However, pursuant to Article 11.5 of the Regulations and with the consent of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Hafeez may be able to bowl in domestic cricket events played under the auspices of the PCB.”
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