Hafeez was found to be flexing his elbow over the 15-degree limit for every single delivery he bowled

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez has been banned from bowling after his action was found to be illegal.

After being reported for a suspect action following the conclusion of the first Test against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi, Hafeez flew to England to get his action tested at Loughborough University.

However, the test revealed that Hafeez was flexing his elbow over the 15-degree limit for every single delivery he bowled.

Hafeez will only be allowed to bowl in international matches again once he rectifies his action and gets it re-tested.

Hafeez’s bowling ban is a major blow for Pakistan, especially since their ODI series against New Zealand starts today. In addition to that, there will be added pressure on the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to help Hafeez rectify his action before the 2015 World Cup gets underway in February.

It should also be noted that if Hafeez gets his action re-tested and fails again, he will be banned from bowling for 12 months.

“It’s a setback for us,” Pakistan chief selector and team manager Moin Khan was quoted as saying by AFP. “Hafeez’s suspension can affect our preparations for the World Cup, but we have no doubt over his ability as a batsman and he will play [against New Zealand] on Monday.”