Pakistan retain Hafeez for Dubai Test

Sport360 staff 20:59 14/11/2014
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  • Under scrutiny: Hafeez (l) has been reported to the ICC for a suspected illegal bowling action.

    Pakistan on Friday retained all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez for the second Test against New Zealand despite his bowling action being reported.

    Hafeez's action was reported as suspect by match officials after the first Test in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, which Pakistan won by 248 runs for a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series. The second Test starts in Dubai from Monday.

    Under the International Cricket Council rules on suspect bowling action, Hafeez has 21 days to have a mandatory bio-mechanic assessment of his action. But in that period he is allowed to bowl at international level.

    Injured opener Ahmed Shehzad misses out and is the only change to the side that won the successive Abu Dhabi Tests against Australia and New Zealand. Chief selector Moin Khan said Shehzad is a forced change.

    "The change has been forced on us owing to a head injury to Shehzad. Team Pakistan is keen and confident of maintaining its winning sequence in the remaining two Tests as well", said chief selector and manager Khan.

    Shehzad hit a career-best 176 in the first Test but suffered a fracture on skull after being hit by a bouncer from New Zealand seamer Corey Anderson on Monday.

    One from Shan Masood or Taufiq Umar is likely to replace Shehzad. The third Test will be played in Sharjah from November 26.

    Full Pakistan squad: Misbah-ul Haq (captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Taufiq Umar, Shan Masood, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Ehsan Adil, Harris Sohail, Imran Khan, Mohammad Talha, Rahat Ali, Sarfraz Ahmed, Yasir Shah, Younis Khan, Zulfiqar Babar.

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