Daily Times

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday issued a show-cause notice to all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez for criticising the International Cricket Council (ICC) rules related to reporting suspect bowling actions. Hafeez, who was recently cleared for bowling after facing suspension for the third time, had criticised the implementation of ICC’s rules on bowling action during an interview with BBC Urdu. Hafeez claimed that he could not understand why his bowling action was declared illegal when he had a 16 degree bend, but bowlers who have 25 or 30 degree bends are not being reported. The claims have landed the veteran all-rounder in hot waters and he now has 14 days to respond to the PCB’s show-cause notice. In that interview, Hafeez also questioned the national team’s selection policy after being ignored for the T20I series against West Indies even after consistent performances with the bat. Sources in the PCB said that ICC officials had expressed their displeasure at the remarks after which Hafeez was issued the show-cause notice.

“There are so many things influencing who gets called for suspect actions, it has a lot to do with the power of some boards and nobody wants to take them on,” Hafeez had said. The all-rounder said when he was tested for suspect bowling action, he was surprised to find out that a naked eye was able to see that he was bending his arm a degree or two more than the maximum 15-degree limit. “Mostly there are soft corners and relations between people which no one wants to spoil. What I say is, why not implement the rule and get every bowler in the world to go through the testing process. What’s the difficulty in that? So I have my doubts about this calling system. This is suspicious, why are match referees or on-field umpires not able to see those flexing up to 35 but me with 16 degrees?” the veteran campaigner with 50 Tests, 200 ODIs and 81 T20 Internationals under his belt had asked.

On April 17 this year, Hafeez underwent a re-assessment of his bowling action at the Loughborough University where it was revealed that the amount of elbow extension in his bowling action was within the 15-degree level of tolerance permitted under the ICC Illegal Bowling Regulations. Hafeez was first suspended from bowling in December 2014 after he was reported in November 2014 during a Test series. Following remedial work on his bowling action, he was re-assessed and permitted to resume bowling in April 2015. The off-spinner was then suspended from bowling in July 2015 for 12 months following a second suspension within 24 months. He was re-assessed and permitted to resume bowling in November 2016. He was reported for the third time during the Abu Dhabi ODI against Sri Lanka in October 2017, and was subsequently suspended from bowling in November 2017.

Published in Daily Times, May 19^th 2018.