Mohammad Hafeez cleared to bowl in international cricket
Mohammad Hafeez, the Pakistan all-rounder, has been cleared to bowl in international cricket, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Wednesday (November 30). The 36-year-old underwent the test in Brisbane on November 17 and was subsequently cleared, after all his off-spin deliveries were found to be under the permitted 15-degree limit.
Hafeez was reported for the first time in the opening Test against Sri Lanka in Galle in June last year. Subsequently, he was banned by the ICC in July and the suspension expired in July this year. He was eligible to go for the test immediately but a knee injury during the England tour meant he decided to delay the test. Though he was allowed to bowl in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) barred him from bowling in the country's Twenty20 league. Hafeez also worked with Carl Crowe, a bowling coach from England, to correct his action.
However, the umpires can still report Hafeez. "The umpires are still at liberty to report Hafeez if they believe he is displaying a suspect action and not reproducing the legal action from the reassessment," the ICC said in a statement. "To assist the umpires, they will be provided with images and video footage of the bowlers remodeled legal bowling action."
Hafeez was dropped from the Pakistan Test for the tour of New Zealand and Australia even when he continued to play in domestic cricket. Though he wasn't bowling in the first-class matches, the lack of runs too hurt his case.
Mohammad Hafeez cleared to bowl in international cricket | Cricbuzz.com