The players have thrown their support behind Bilal and feel he has been unfairly called up. PHOTO: AFP
KARACHI:
Pakistan team members are backing Bilal Asif to have his bowling action cleared after it was reported as suspect by the on-field umpires in the third ODI against Zimbabwe in Harare.
Bilal took a five-wicket haul in only his second one-dayer but was reported right after picking up the man-of-the-match award.
The match officials’ report, which was handed over to the Pakistan team management, cited concerns about the legality of the 30-year-old’s bowling action.
Bilal will now have to undergo testing within 14 days at an accredited ICC facility but can continue bowling until the test results come back.
A total of eight deliveries were reported by the umpires but fellow players and team management still feel that Bilal has been called unfairly.
“Bilal’s action is clear and we don’t think there should be any problem with him when he appears for the test,” a member of the ODI team told The Express Tribune before their departure from Zimbabwe. “The team management sat and watched his bowling again. There is no problem with his action because he bowls with his wrists and not with his elbow. It’s disheartening for a player who has performed so well to be called for suspected action.”
Previously, Pakistan’s main spinner Saeed Ajmal and all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez were banned from bowling due to illegal actions.
The players feel that the team is being targeted unfairly. “There clearly are double standards in international cricket,” said another player. “Bilal is called up but [Indian off-spinner] Harbhajan Singh chucks and gets away with it. I think ICC needs to have a same policy for everyone. Look at Harbhajan’s bowling against South Africa in second T20I; there is a big bend in his bowling arm.”
The team management had analysed Bilal’s action before giving him his international debut and had told the off-spinner to bowl freely.
Pakistan national selection committee head Haroon Rashid confirmed that Bilal’s action was monitored. “All I can say is that the bowler is unfortunate to be called,” he said. “In my view, he has a clean action and that is why he was selected.”
For years, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been trying to launch its own ICC-accredited biomechanics lab to facilitate both domestic cricketers and international bowlers with suspect action.
The biomechanics lab will also help the board to monitor the body movement of players and would allow them to make adjustments in batting techniques and improve bowling actions as well.
When asked why the lab is yet to become operative, Haroon replied, “The PCB has procured the necessary equipment. Now we’re only waiting for the completion of the building and once that’s done, the lab will be operational.”
Published in The Express Tribune, October 7th, 2015.
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