Ajmal, Hafeez to be tested in Chennai in bid to return for World Cup

Ajmal, Hafeez to be tested in Chennai in bid to return for World Cup: Running out of time, Pakistan have decided to test their suspended spinners, Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez in the ICC accredited bio-mechanics laboratory in Chennai within the next two days. Despite calls from former Pakistani cricketers of not having the test in Chennai, Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan has told the media that the duo will be flying out to Chennai, later this week to have unofficial tests on their illegal bowling actions before the PCB applies to the International Cricket Council for the final test.

After individual tests of the two bowlers, the ICC banned both the bowlers from bowling further in international cricket. Saeed Ajmal was banned from bowling on September 12, 2014 after the ICC report following a test at the ICC center at the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane confirmed that Ajmal’s elbow extension was more than double of the permitted level by the custodians of the game.

Saeed Ajmal’s results of over-by-over testing as per the ICC report on September 12, 2014

1st over, offspin over the wicket: 39 degrees
2nd over, offspin over the wicket: 37 degrees
3rd over, offspin around the wicket: 41 degrees
4th over, offspin around the wicket (wide of the crease): 41 degrees
5th over, offspin around the wicket: 42 degrees
6th over, doosra around the wicket: 40 degrees
7th over, quicker balls around the wicket: 38 degrees
8th over, quicker balls over the wicket: 42 degrees

Following the results, Ajmal went remedial action with Saqlain Mustaq and unofficial tests at the Loughborough University confirmed that Ajmal’s flex is now within the permitted limit. On the other hand, the Pakistani all-rounder Mohammed Hafeez was suspended on December 8, 2014 after the ICC report from the Loughborough University, an ICC accredited centre, found Hafeez’s elbow flex to reach as much as 31 degrees.

Mohammed Hafeez’s results of over-by-over testing as per the ICC report on December 8, 2014

1st over, offspin around the wicket: 28 degrees
2nd over, offspin around the wicket: 27 degrees
3rd over, offspin over the wicket: 27 degrees
4th over, offspin around the wicket: 26 degrees

Hafeez has gone remedial action at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore and this will be his first unofficial biomechanics test after he has gone through it. If both the players are cleared, PCB will apply to ICC for official tests. It will be a big boost for Pakistan if both the players are cleared before the World Cup, as Hafeez and Ajmal are set to be an important cog in their World Cup 2015 campaign.