Mohammad Hasnain suspended from all of cricket after bowling action is found illegal

Published February 4, 2022
A file photo of pacer Mohammad Hasnain. — PSL/File
A file photo of pacer Mohammad Hasnain. — PSL/File

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday suspended Quetta Gladiators pacer Mohammad Hasnain from further participation in the ongoing seventh edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) as well as any form of international cricket after a bowling examination found that his right arm exceeds the permissible 15-degree limit.

Hasnain's bowling action was reported by umpires during a game between Sydney Thunder and Adelaide Strikers in Australia’s Big Bash League on January 2. He was subsequently tested at the International Cricket Council-accredited biomechanics laboratory in Lahore as the fast bowler was due to fly back home in time to compete in the PSL.

"As per the Illegal Bowling Action Regulations, until Hasnain clears his reassessment, he will remain suspended from bowling in the international cricket," the PCB said in a statement.

The cricket board said it had received a formal and detailed report from Cricket Australia on Hasnain’s assessment test and quoted its bowling experts as saying the "problem can be resolved."

“The report from the CA stated his elbow extension for Hasnain's good length delivery, full-length delivery, slow bouncer and bouncer exceeded the 15-degree limits."

The PCB said "Hasnain is an asset for Pakistan cricket" and one of the very few bowlers to consistently click 145kmp.

"As such, and keeping his future and Pakistan’s interest at the forefront, the PCB, on the recommendation of the HBL PSL 2022 Technical Committee, has decided he will not be allowed to continue to participate in the HBL PSL," the board said in its statement.

The PCB added that it will now appoint a bowling consultant tasked with working with Hasnain so that he could rectify his bowling action and be ready for a reassessment.

The board said the bowler would now utilise the current time with the PCB-appointed bowling consultant to modify his bowling action so that he could apply for a reassessment and become eligible to "return to international cricket as quickly as practically possible".

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