The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has requested the International Cricket Council (ICC) to extend the date for the bio-mechanics test of Mohammad Hafeez's bowling action.

The PCB said that the right-arm spinner had suffered an injury and could not for the appear for the test to assess the legality of his action.

Hafeez's test was scheduled to be conducted on February 6 (today) in Brisbane, Australia.

With the delay in the test, Hafeez would now not be able to bowl for Pakistan during its World Cup matches against India (Feb 15) and West Indies (Feb 21).

Read: Three of ICC's top 10 bowlers face suspension

Earlier, Hafeez had failed to clear two unofficial bio-mechanics tests. Hafeez’s arm both around and over the wicket exceeded the limit of 15 degrees.

Over the wicket, Hafeez turned his arm at angles measuring from 16 to 18 degrees while around the wicket it ranged between 12 and 19 degrees.

Previously, Hafeez’s action had been cleared after being reported in a one-day match against West Indies in Brisbane in 2005.

Hafeez is the second Pakistani after Saeed Ajmal — also an off-spinner — to be reported in a major crackdown on bowlers with suspect actions the ICC launched in June last year.

Read: Hafeez suspension hits Pakistan’s Cup hopes

ICC's crackdown on bowlers, especially spinners, was not received well by many experts of the game.

Former West Indies captain and batting icon Viv Richards believed the ICC’s crackdown on bowlers with suspect actions has come at the wrong time and it should have been done a while ago.

“In my opinion such action should have been taken some time ago and on a wider basis because these guys have been there for quite some time,” Richards had said.