What is next for Mohammad Hasnain?

KARACHI: Pakistan’s fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain was, on Friday, suspended from bowling after his bowling action was found to be illegal following an assessment done at biomechanics laboratory in Lahore.

Hasnain was initially reported in Australia during his stint in Big Bash League and the Cricket Australia announced the outcomes of assessment on Friday morning.

What is an illegal bowling action?

In layman’s term, an illegal bowling action is when a player throws, rather than bowling the ball. The match officials use naked eye and their cricketing experience to decide whether they believe a player might be using an illegal bowling action. If so, they submit a report.

According to ICC's Bowling Action Regulations, an illegal bowling action is an action where the player’s elbow extension exceeds 15 degrees, measured using the standard analysis protocols from the point at which the bowling arm reaches the horizontal until the point at which the ball is released.

A player can be called for illegal bowling action by an umpire or a match referee, and in the report it is mandatory to detail the concerns about the bowling action of a player, including whether those concerns relate to the player’s standard delivery type or one or more specific variations.

What's next for a bowler after being reported?

Once a player is reported for a suspected illegal bowling action pursuant, they shall be required to submit to an independent analysis of the bowling action within 14 days of receiving the report.

The analysis shall be conducted at an ICC accredited laboratory. During the independent assessment, the player shall be required to replicate the specific bowling action for which they were reported.

If the analysis conclude that player’s bowling action was illegal, then the player will be suspended from bowling immediately in jurisdiction of board where he was reported, and in international cricket if it was an ICC event.

The suspension imposed as a result of an independent assessment shall remain in place until the Player has submitted to a re-assessment of his bowling action to determine that the player is able to bowl without using an illegal bowling action, upon receiving of re-assessment confirming that action is corrected – the suspension will be lifted immediately.

Hasnain's case

In Hasnain’s case the PCB has stated that the bowler will work to modify his bowling action before applying for reassessment.

Although, under clause 11.5 of ICC Bowling Action Regulation, the PCB was not bound to follow the decision of Cricket Australia in the PCB controlled domestic event.

The fast bowler, however, has been stopped from playing further in the ongoing season of the PSL and advised to immediately start working to modify his action.

The PCB said the report on Hasnain’s assessment test showed his elbow extension for his good length delivery, full length delivery, slow bouncer and bouncer exceeded the 15-degree limits.

It said that the bowler will work with bowling consultant for modification and improvement of his action before appearing for a reassessment.

There’s no time frame for him to apply for reassessment of his action and he can apply for it at any given day.