(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Hafeezs suspension means that he becomes the second Pakistan player after Ajmal to face ICC sanction in the past three months.
Hafeez bowls during a training session in Dubai on Sunday. — AFP
Dubai: Putting up a brave front after the news that Hafeez was suspended for an illegal bowling action by the International Cricket Council Pakistan team manager and chief selector Moin Khan said that the current team had the ability to bounce back in challenging circumstances and they will certainly handle the situation well.
“I know it’s a setback for us. But this team has showed its fighting qualities after Saeed Ajmal was banned and I am sure they will take this new development in their stride and get ready for the tough challenges ahead’’ Moin told the media in Dubai on Monday.
Hafeez’s suspension means that he becomes the second Pakistan player after Ajmal to face ICC sanction in the past three months. The Pakistani all-rounder had his action reported during the first Test against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi last month.
“The ICC confirmed that an independent analysis has found the bowling action of Pakistan’s Hafeez to be illegal and as such the off-spinner has been suspended from bowling in international cricket with immediate effect” the ICC said.
The analysis revealed that all his deliveries exceeded the 15 degrees level of tolerance permitted under the regulations the ICC added. Hafeez can apply for a reassessment after he has modified his bowling action in accordance with the rules” ICC’s statement said on Monday.
Pakistan though will feel the immediate effect of Hafeez’s suspension with the hosts set to slug it out against New Zealand in a five-match ODI series in the UAE from Monday. Moin however said they are well prepared for the ODIs but admitted that it could affect World Cup preparations. “We have no doubt about his batting ability and he will play (against New Zealand) on Monday. Hafeez’s suspension can affect our preparations for the World Cup but I think the team management will find a way out before the mega event” added Moin. Hafeez who also opens the batting gives balance to the Pakistan one-day international side having taken 122 wickets in 149 matches. Hafeez had shown surprise over his bowling action being questioned. The analysis was performed on November 24 by the ICC’s accredited team of human movement specialists using the National Cricket Performance Centre in Loughborough England. At that time Hafeez was confident that whatever the decision he was up for the challenge. And he had said that he never viewed himself as much of bowler and would continue to focus on his batting instead. Under the ICC rules bowlers are permitted to straighten their bowling arm by no more than 15 degrees during delivery. The PCB official declined to blame the ICC for acting tough with the World Cup not too far. “This step had to be taken by
the ICC sometime or the other. So I think all the teams have to accept the decision. Some teams will be at an advantage while for some it will be a loss but we have to carry on’’ Moin remarked.
Hafeez’s suspension is a big blow for Pakistan before the next year’s World Cup as they are already feeling the heat from leading off-spinner Ajmal’s suspension in September.
Hafeez will have to undergo remedial work and becomes the sixth bowler suspended under a crackdown by the ICC launched in June this year. “We are in touch with the ICC over the remedial work and hopefully he can play at the World Cup” said Moin.
Apart from Ajmal Sri Lanka’s Sachitra Senanayake New Zealand’s Kane Williamson Zimbabwe’s Prosper Utseya and Bangladesh’s Sohag Gazi have also been suspended. However Bangladesh’s pace bowler Al Amin Hossain was reported by umpires and then cleared on bio-mechanical analysis.
Recently Zimbabwe’s Malcolm Waller and the UAE’ Salman Farooq and Mohammad Shahzad were also reported for suspect actions.
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