LONDON, Jan 18: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed that Pakistan paceman Shabbir Ahmed is on report again for a suspect bowling action.

The report was made by umpires Darrell Hair and Billy Bowden after reviewing footage of Shabbir's action taken during the fifth and final One-day International between New Zealand and Pakistan in Wellington on Saturday.

ICC general manager David Richardson said in a statement: "This issue now comes under the ICC's regulations dealing with this matter, and over the next six weeks Shabbir and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will have the opportunity to work on any areas of concern.

"Shabbir will be able to continue to play during this time." The 27-year-old was reported twice by ICC match officials in 1999 after one-day tournaments in Toronto and Sharjah and he has paid tribute to help received since from former West Indies paceman Michael Holding, who was called on by the PCB.

ICC regulations detail a two-stage process for bowlers reported for suspect actions and Shabbir is now under stage one, which entails him working with advisers to be appointed by the PCB and a human movement specialist from an ICC panel. The stage lasts up to six weeks and a detailed report will then be compiled by the PCB and submitted to the ICC.-Reuters