Hafeez cleared bowling action

The International Cricket Council on Tuesday cleared the bowling action of Pakistani spinner Mohammad Hafeez following remedial work and retests, making him eligible to play in international matches.

Hafeez’s action was reported as suspect in the first test against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi last November.

The 34-year-old was suspended from bowling at international level after biomechanical tests on his action in Loughborough, England, revealed his elbow extension was beyond the 15 degree tolerance limit.

Under the ICC rules bowlers are allowed to flex their elbows by up to 15 degrees.

Hafeez underwent remedial work on his action and had a re-test in Chennai, India on April 9, which the ICC said he cleared.

The clearance means Hafeez can bowl in the third and final one-day international against Bangladesh in Dhaka on Wednesday.

Pakistan trail the series 2-0, their first series defeat against Bangladesh.

Pakistan were the worst hit of the ten-test playing countries after the ICC launched a crackdown on chuckers in June last year.

Ten bowlers were reported for suspect actions with Hafeez, teammate Saeed Ajmal and Sri Lanka’s Sachitra Senanayake being the high-profile casualties.

Pakistan’s women’s cricket team spinner Javeria Khan also cleared her action, which was reported and found illegal in 2010.

The ICC, however, warned that any bowler who has been cleared can be called again by the umpires.

“The umpires are still at liberty to report Hafeez and Javeria in the future if they believe they are displaying a suspect action and not reproducing the legal actions from the retests,” it said.

If a cleared bowler is reported again within two years of the first occasion he will be banned from international cricket for 12 months.

“Thanks to almighty Allah to bless me to clear my official bowling action test.Happy&thankful,” tweeted Hafeez.

“Special thanks to my family and all those who helped me overcome this problem.”