Mohammad Hafeez banned from bowling in English competitions

The Pakistan allrounder's action was reported following his final game for Middlesex against Somerset in last season’s T20 Blast on August 30

Pakistan allrounder Mohammad Hafeez has been suspended from bowling in ECB competitions.

The decision follows a Bowling Review Group (BRG) appeal hearing at Lord’s.

The 39-year-old’s action was reported following his final game for Middlesex in last season’s T20 Blast on August 30 – a winner-takes-all game against Somerset at Taunton that saw Hafeez’s side win by six wickets to qualify for the knockout stages of the competition.

Umpires Alex Wharf and Rob Bailey made the report, with Hafeez then sent for independent assessment at Loughborough University. The tests found that the off-spinner’s elbow extension exceeded the 15-degree limit, as defined in the Illegal Bowling Regulations.

Hafeez has now been advised to correct his action; once he has done so, he may request a reassessment. Until he is able to pass an independent re-assessment of his action, however, he remains unable to bowl in ECB competitions.

In response, Hafeez said: “I have received the ECB Bowling Review Group report on my bowling action.

“Despite identifying procedural testing flaws, which have been accepted by the review committee, as well as realising the findings will potentially affect my reputation as a world-proven allrounder, I accept the Bowling Review Group findings.

“As per ECB regulations, I am ready to appear for an independent analysis at an ICC-accredited centre so that I become eligible to play in ECB-organised events.”

Hafeez has previously been banned from bowling on three separate occasions. He was first reported in December 2014 during a Test series against New Zealand in UAE. He was then suspended from bowling in July 2015, and then again after facing Sri Lanka in October 2017 in Abu Dhabi.

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