LAHORE - The International Cricket Council (ICC) Tuesday confirmed that bowling actions of M Hafeez and Javeria Khan have been found to be legal following remedial work and retests, and the players can now resume bowling in international cricket.
In advance of any retest, a player, who has been banned from bowling in international cricket, is required to identify the various types of deliveries he/she wants assessed, with a view to bowling those types of deliveries in international cricket should they be tested as legal.
At the retests, it was revealed that the amount of elbow extensions in both the off-spinners’ bowling actions for all their deliveries bowled were within the 15-degree level of tolerance permitted under the ICC regulations for the review of bowlers reported with suspected illegal bowling actions.
The clearance means Hafeez can bowl in the third and final One-day International (ODI) against Bangladesh in Dhaka today (Wednesday). Pakistan trail the series 2-0, their first series defeat against Bangladesh.
"Thanks to almighty Allah to bless me to clear my official bowling action test. Happy&thankful," Hafeez tweeted. "Special thanks to my family and all those who helped me overcome this problem," he added.
Pakistan were the worst hit of the 10-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 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."
If a cleared bowler is reported again within two years of the first occasion he will be banned from international cricket for 12 months.