MUMBAI: Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez has been banned from bowling for 12 months after his action was found to be illegal for the second time since November, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Friday.

Former Pakistan captain Hafeez was initially reported after the first Test against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi in November and was subsequently banned after an independent analysis found his action to be illegal.

He was cleared to bowl in April after changing his action but the part-time off-spinner was again reported by match officials for a suspect action during last month's Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.

Read: Embattled Hafeez undergoes rigorous testing at Chennai lab

“Hafeez is entitled to appeal any procedural aspect of an independent assessment that has led to this automatic suspension,” the ICC said in a statement.

“However, only after the expiry of this one-year period will he be entitled to approach the ICC for a re-assessment of his bowling action.”

The legality of his bowling action was questioned by match officials during the team's first Test victory over Sri Lanka.

Following the match, officials reported Hafeez to the ICC Regulations for the Review of Bowlers Reported with Suspected Illegal Bowling Actions, after which he underwent independent assessment at the Sri Ramachandra University in Chennai.

Read: Wrong approach by PCB led to Hafeez setback, says Zaka

According to the assessment, Hafeez's bowling action was declared illegal because his elbow extension exceeded 15 degrees while bowling.

Last week, Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by six wickets to go 1-0 up in the five-match series after Mohammad Hafeez claimed his best bowling figures in One-day Internationals before returning to register his tenth hundred.