Pakistan Cricket Board bans 16 domestic bowlers for illegal action

Saeed Ajmal

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reacted to the International Cricket Council’s ban on its leading spinner Saeed Ajmal earlier this month for chucking by suspending 16 of its bowlers with suspect actions from playing domestic matches so that such issues can be nipped in the bud.

Inthikab Alam, the director of domestic cricket, said: "We have 29 bowlers reported for suspect bowling actions in the current home cricket season and half of them were reported twice, so we have banned around 16 from domestic matches."

A leg-spinner himself, Alam added: "All these bowlers will not be allowed to play in domestic matches and will go to the national cricket academy to get their actions altered.”

Even possible replacements banned

Pakistan’s World Cup 2015 preparations have taken a severe hit with both Atif Maqbool and Adnan Rasool – possible replacements for Ajmal – finding their names on the list. All these bowlers will now undergo corrective measures at the renewed biomechanics laboratory in Lahore and will only be eligible to play after getting the clearance from the board.

Meanwhile, skipper Misbah-ul-Haq has said that he is “praying” that Ajmal gets cleared for bowling in time for the next year’s showpiece event to be held in Australia and New Zealand. He said: “First of all I will pray Ajmal returns to the team for the World Cup. But we also have to be ready to play without him. If a player is not there you have to cope with that situation. There is no doubt he is a great bowler and will be missed."