Sharjah: Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez, whose bowling action was declared illegal by the International Cricket Council (ICC), will be sent to India’s ICC-accredited testing centre for suspect action at Sri Ramachandra University in Chennai for remodelling his action.
The Sri Ramachandra Arthroscopy and Sports Science Centre (SRASSC) which is the second centre in the world to get an approval from ICC for testing bowlers following the centre in Brisbane, Australia, will do remedial work on his action.
Speaking to Gulf News from Chennai, Dr Alwar Thiagarajan, the chief operating officer in charge of sports science services, said: “We have already corrected the bowling actions of five international bowlers at this centre. We are awaiting the confirmation on Hafeez’s arrival. New Zealand’s Kane Williamson was cleared of a suspect actionfrom here.”
Williamson underwent testing on November 23, between the second and third Tests against Pakistan and proved his bowling action was within the permitted 15 degrees of flexion.
Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan confirmed from Lahore that Hafeez will fly to Chennai. “We have decided to withdraw Hafeez from the one-day series against New Zealand and he will go to Chennai for unofficial tests and some remedial work,”
Hafeez is likely to leave Sharjah after the second One-Day International against New Zealand on Friday. His action was reported during the first Test against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi last month. He was suspended from bowling in all international cricket matches after a biomechanical test in England, which found his elbow flex was more than the permissible 15 degrees.
Moin Khan, the Pakistan team chief selector is hoping Hafeez as well as Saeed Ajmal will have their reassessment before January 7, the deadline for submitting a final squad for the 2015 ICC World Cup. Incidentally, both have been named in Pakistan’s 30-man preliminary squad for the World Cup.
