Bilal Asif's bowling action found to be legal: ICC

His elbow extension is well within the 15-degree level of tolerance permitted under the ICC regulations

The International Cricket Council (ICC) termed on Friday the bowling action of Bilal Asif as legal, saying the player could continue bowling in international cricket.

An assessment revealed that the amount of elbow extension in all of the off-spinner’s deliveries was well within the 15-degree level of tolerance permitted under the ICC regulations, the international cricketing body said in a statement.

The independent assessment was performed at the Sri Ramachandra University testing centre in Chennai earlier this month, it added.



Earlier on October 5, the 30-year-old off-spinner took five wickets for 25 runs in the third and final one-day international against Zimbabwe in Harare to help Pakistan win the match by seven wickets, taking the series 2-1.

But during the match, umpires Jeremiah Matibiri of Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka’s Ruchira Palliyaguruge reported Asif’s action to match referee David Jukes of England.



Asif was the third Pakistani player to face questions on his bowling action ever since the ICC launched a crackdown in June last year, with off-spinners Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez also being reported.