ICC bans Shabbir from playing international cricket

Karachi, Nov 12: The Advisory Panel of the International Cricket Council (ICC) on illegal deliveries has banned Shabbir Ahmad from playing in international cricket but allowed him to play in the domestic competition.

The Khanewal-born six-feet seven-inch tall Shabbir was barred from international cricket after the nine-member advisory panel observed that the pacer needed to improve his bowling action.

Shabbir's bowling action was questioned after he played in three matches without being called either at Toronto or Sharjah.

"After watching the tape provided to the Panel, a marked improvement was seen in his bowling action compared to Toronto but they said that he still has a problem and it was decided by the panel that he cannot resume his international career," said the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in a brief press statement.

None of the PCB officials were able to make further comment on the issue until a member of the ICC Advisory Panel, who did not to be quoted, confirmed that Shabbir was allowed to play in domestic first-class competition.

"Unless he plays in the first-class competition, how will he improve or how his progress will be monitored," he said.

He said it would be entirely upto the PCB when to refer Shabbir's case again to the ICC. "It (PCB) can do it tomorrow but for that it will have to provide video footage of Shabbir's bowling action."

The panel, which includes one member from each Test playing country, said Shabbir's bowling action was questioned by the umpires and Match Referee during the Toronto and Sharjah series'.

He added that according to law, the umpires and Match Referee were entitled to recommend suspected bowling action cases to the ICC for its review. "The ICC refers the case to its committee."

The member dispelled apprehensions that the bowler needed to be called before his action was scrutinized.

"If the umpires or Match Referee feels at any stage that the bowlers action was suspected, the case can be referred to the ICC. It doesn't mean that if the bowler is not called in his first or second match, he has been cleared for the rest of his career."

Interestingly, Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who was called by two Australian umpires, was neither suspended from international cricket nor the ICC reviewed his bowling action.

Shabbir is the third bowler to face this charge. Previously, Indian spinner Rajesh Chauhan and Harbhajan Singh had to get clearance from the Advisory Panel to resume their international careers.

Lahore Bureau adds: Secretary of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) ad hoc committee, Shafqat Rana, told Dawn that the ICC did not give any time frame for examining the bowling action of Shabbir Ahmad again. It now depends on the PCB to represent the bowler before the ICC when deem his bowling action correct.

The PCB official said national team coach Richard Pybas would not be requested to rectify the bowling action of Shabbir Khan.

Sarfaraz Nawaz, currently coaching the under-19 cricketers at Rawalpindi, could be assigned to bring about a change in the bowler's action