Mohammad Hafeez suspended from bowling in all competitions under ECB

39-year-old Pakistan and Middlesex all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez has been banned from bowling in all ECB competitions after his bowling action was declared to be illegal after assessment. Hafeez has been reported a few times earlier too due to his illegal bowling action and now will not be able to bowl.

"I have received the ECB Bowling Review Group report on my bowling action," Hafeez said in a statement.

"Despite identifying procedural testing flaws, which have been accepted by the review committee, as well as realizing the findings will potentially affect my reputation as a world-proven all-rounder, I accept the Bowling Review Group findings," The statement further mentioned.

Hafeez was named as a replacement for AB de Villiers at Middlesex but his action was reported in a T20 blast game between Somerset and Middlesex at Taunton on August 30. He went through an independent assessment at Loughborough University in order to challenge the report but later he found out that his elbow extension exceeded the 15-degree limit that is set for bowlers.

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The only way back for Hafeez in order to bowl is to request ECB to keep a re-assessment of his action after he has corrected it and hope that the ECB will consider his request.