Pakistan pacer Mohammad Hasnain has been suspended from bowling in international cricket after the 21-year-old failed to clear his bowling action, which was reported by umpire Gerard Abood in a match between Sydney Thunder and Adelaide Strikers at Sydney Showground Stadium on January 2.
After the development, Hasnain will now not be able to bowl in the ongoing seventh edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) where he is currently playing for Quetta Gladiators. Hasnain’s action was tested in the Lahore-based ICC-approved lab, the results of which were sent to Cricket Australia and was reviewed and verified by CA’s independent expert.
Cricket Australia said: “This process has been completed, with Hasnain’s action found to be illegal by the PCB’s testing laboratory and the report reviewed and verified by CA’s independent expert.”
Peter Roach, Cricket Australia’s Head of Cricket Operations and Scheduling, said: “We’d like to commend Mohammad Hasnain, the Pakistan Cricket Board, Cricket NSW and Sydney Thunder for their cooperative and respectful approach to this process – particularly given the logistical challenges around travel and testing.”
“CA’s independent expert is satisfied that Mohammad replicated his bowling action in the controlled environment during testing and that the results are accurate,” he added.
Roach further said that the CA has full confidence the PCB will support Mohammad to rectify his action.
“We wish Mohammad the best over coming months and look forward to welcoming him back to Australia in the future,”he added.
Meanwhile, the PCB confirmed that the pacer will remain suspended and a bowling consultant will be appointed to work with him.
“The PCB today received a formal and detailed report from Cricket Australia on Mohammad Hasnain’s assessment test, which stated his elbow extension for his good length delivery, full length delivery, slow bouncer and bouncer exceeded the 15-degree limits,” the PCB said in a statement.
“The PCB has discussed the report with its own bowling experts and is confident that the problem can be resolved. The PCB will now appoint a bowling consultant who will work with Mohammad Hasnain so that he can rectify his bowling action and be ready for a reassessment,” it added.
The Pakistan board also said that under the Illegal Bowling Action Regulations, until Mohammad Hasnain clears his reassessment, he will remain suspended from bowling in international cricket.
Notably, Hasnain had made his international debut against Australia in Sharjah in March 2019 and in October that year became the youngest player ever to take a T20 international hat-trick in a match against Sri Lanka.
Hasnain had hogged limelight in 2019 when, at 19, he had become the youngest bowler to take a hattrick in a T20I match. Hasnain, who hails from Hyderabad in Pakistan, had achieved the feat against Sri Lanka.
Later, Hasnain featured in both the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and once again impressed everyone after bowling the fastest deliveries recorded in each competition. He launched a 151 km/h rocket for the Quetta Gladiators, and a 155.1 km/h rocket for Trinbago Knight Riders.