Shabbir Cleared of Bowling Action

Each passing day it seems that the bowling prospects for the Pakistan Cricket Team to the forthcoming World Cup seems to be getting better and better as a number of impressive contenders vie for the four or five bowling slots in the team. Starting with Shoaib Akhtar & Mohd Asif being cleared of the drug scandal, and a thumping performance by Rana Naveed in the recent tour of West Indies to Pakistan. And now the potential addition of Shabbir Ahmed into the list can undoubtedly make it a thought choice for PCB selectors

Just today ICC has just confirmed that it has received a report from University of Western Australia, where Shabbir Ahmed had gone for testing his bowling action. Shabbir is the first player to have been banned from International Cricket due to a faulty action where he bends his bowling arm beyound the prescribed limits as set out in the ICC code of Conduct. Shabbir had been decomsioned since December of last year after having been called twice for an illegal action will most likely be cleared in this latest test results, the ICC has withheld official confirmation until it “digests” the report more to verify that the study falls within its prescribed standards.

Once PCB gets the nod of approval from the ICC it will then evaluate if Shabbir is match-fit and in turn place him in the running for the impending selection in the 2007 World Cup to be held in March. Pakistan now should be comfortable with their bowling options, a reliable batting squad will remain the burning question probably throughout the World Cup