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Pakistan are still awaiting an International Cricket Council (ICC) ruling over the fate of Shabbir Ahmed after the medium pacer’s one-year ban for an illegal bowling action ended earlier this week.

“We are yet to receive any communication from the ICC over Shabbir’s case,” the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) director Salim Altaf told ‘The News’ from Lahore on Wednesday.

“I think it might take a few more days as the ICC would give its verdict after going through experts’ reports over his bowling action,” he added.

Shabbir, 30, was cleared by Australian experts after passing biomechanics tests at the University of Western Australia last month and is hoping to make his international comeback for Pakistan during their next month’s tour of South Africa.

Last year, Shabbir became the first player in international cricket to be banned for a year for an illegal bowling action after it was reported for the fourth time in November, 2005.

Under the International Cricket Council (ICC) rules a bowler can straighten his bowling arm to a 15-degree limit and anything above that is counted as illegal.

After undergoing corrective measures with the help of former Pakistan Test pacer Sarfaraz Nawaz, Shabbir was sent to Australia by the PCB to under biomechanics tests.

“According to the preliminary report we have received from Professor Bruce Elliot, Shabbir has improved his bowling angle and has brought it to 10 degrees which is quite below the 15-degree limit. It is because of this we are sure that he would be cleared by the ICC to play international cricket,” said Altaf.

He said that the reason why the ICC is taking its time to clear Shabbir even though his ban ended on December 19 is that its technical officials would review the reports given by the Australian experts before advising the Council on the case.

If Shabbir proves his form and fitness in local games and at a conditioning camp getting underway from next week, he could earn a spot in Pakistan’s squad for the tour of South Africa.

The conditioning camp gets underway from December 26 in Lahore and the Pakistan team is scheduled to leave for South Africa on January 3.

Pakistani selectors are scheduled to announce the squad next week which is why PCB officials want to get the ICC clearance for Shabbir as soon as possible. But with the Christmas break just about to start, there is a possibility that the clearance may be delayed.

Altaf said that he will call up relevant officials in the ICC’s Dubai headquarters today to talk about Shabbir’s case. “Shabbir is a good medium pacer and if he is fit would be a valuable addition to our bowling attack,” said Altaf.

Shabbir has taken 51 wickets in 10 Tests and 33 in 32 One-day Internationals (ODIs) during a career that has been dogged by problems with his bowling action.

It was first questioned in 1999 soon after Shabbir made his international debut with a one-day game against the West Indies in Toronto after which former West Indian fast bowler Michael Holding helped him improve his action.

Early in 2004, his bowling action was questioned again but the bowler was cleared by the ICC following a series of tests. But in 2005, he was reported twice for an illegal action and was banned by the ICC for 12 months.
Source:The News