Karachi: Pakistan's seasoned all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez, who has been suspended from bowling by the ICC for an illegal bowling action, has endorsed Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin's views that the 'doosra' delivery cannot be bowled with a straight arm.
Hafeez was stopped from bowling for a second time after match officials reported his action during a Test match in Sri Lanka. Hafeez opined that finger spinners were always likely to have little bend in the elbow while bowling the 'doosra' even though the International Cricket Council (ICC) is strict on the 15 degree bend rule.
"I read what Ashwin said but I also believe even now that if the ICC carries out bowling assessments of all bowlers they will find around 80 per cent have that little extra bit of elbow bend," Hafeez said.
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Hafeez bowled a number of overs in the first innings of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final at the national stadium and even took three wickets in the first innings for his team Sui Northern Gas.
"I was allowed to bowl in this match because they were cameras installed and if the match officials felt they were problems with my action they could have informed me and stopped me from bowling. But in other domestic matches I can't bowl since they are no cameras there," he said.
Hafeez, however, is not allowed to bowl in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in February since the PCB had said it was an event governed by ICC rules.
Hafeez said he had slightly modified his bowling new action and is confident of being cleared when he goes next for the test. "I can't ask for a bowling assessment test until June or July so I am working on the action in the nets or wherever possible in domestic matches. My aim is to ensure my arm does not bend beyond 14 to 15 degrees as now the ICC does not even allow extension of two or three degrees," he said.
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Hafeez said in the past top performing finger spinners had always had slight issues with their bowling actions while bowling the 'doosra', but since rules were not so strict they carried on.
"Things have changed now. That is why I am also working on other variations in my bowling. The purpose is to ensure I am well within the 15 degrees limit while bowling," he said.
