Uganda's Irfan Afridi found to have illegal bowling action

Uganda allrounder Irfan Afridi has been suspended from bowling in international cricket with immediate effect after his bowling action was found illegal following video analysis taken at ICC WCL Division Three in Oman.

An ICC press release announced the news about an hour before Uganda's third match against Kenya on Tuesday at Division Three, and Afridi was replaced in the starting XI by offspinner Frank Nsubuga. Afridi was reported after Uganda's opening match against Denmark at Division Three, during which he took 1 for 25 in nine overs.

"Per Article 3.5 of the ICC Regulations for the Review of Bowlers Reported with Suspected Illegal Bowling Actions, video footage of Irfan's bowling spells were provided to the Expert Panel of Mark King and Andrea Cutti, who are members of the ICC Panel of Human Movement Specialists, for their analysis and assessment," the ICC release read. "The assessment revealed that the amount of elbow extension in Irfan's bowling action was above the 15 degrees level of tolerance permitted under the regulations."

Uganda's second match against USA was embroiled in controversy after umpires told Uganda captain Roger Mukasa that they would no-ball Afridi on the field if he continued to bowl. Till then, Afridi had bowled only one over in the game. With Afridi kept out of the attack, USA posted a total of 252 which was easily defended.

Afridi's suspension from bowling will remain until he submits to a further assessment of his bowling action by an Expert Panel or at an ICC approved Testing Centre and the assessment finds his bowling action legal.