ICC suspends Pakistan spinner Mohammad Hafeez from bowling in international cricket

Courtesy: PTI

New Delhi: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday suspended Pakistan off-spinner Mohammad Hafeez from bowling in international cricket with immediate effect.

The ICC released a statement, saying the "an independent assessment has found the bowling action of Pakistan’s Mohammad Hafeez to be illegal and, as such, the off-spinner has been suspended from bowling in international cricket with immediate effect."

"The assessment revealed that the majority of his deliveries exceeded the 15 degrees level of tolerance permitted under the regulations," it added.

Hafeez was reported during the third ODI match against Sri Lanka last month in Abu Dhabi, and had undergone an independent assessment of his bowling action on 1 November at Loughborough University.

Hafeez can apply for a re-assessment after modifying his bowling action in accordance with clause 4.5 of the Regulations.

Hafeez, 37, has been suspended on two previous occasions for the same offence and served a 12-month ban from July, 2015 after his action was found to be illegal for the second time in a two-year period.

The all-rounder has played 50 Tests, 195 ODIs and 81 T20Is, scoring 3452, 5959 and 1658 runs. He has also taken 52 Test, 136 ODI and 49 T20I wickets.