Off-spinner Bilal Asif is in the reckoning to play for Pakistan against England in the second Test – even though his suspect bowling action is under review.
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Bilal has been added to Pakistan’s squad for the match starting in Dubai on Thursday.
He will be free to play, despite having undergone International Cricket Council testing on his action in Chennai on Monday after being reported during the one-day international series against Zimbabwe.
The outcome of the tests to determine the degree of straightening in Bilal’s bowling arm will not be known until after the middle match of three has begun, and ICC rules stipulate no player is banned until investigations are complete.
Pakistan may, however, again be without key top-order batsman Azhar Ali.
The foot infection which kept Azhar out of the drawn first Test in Abu Dhabi has cleared, but he has had to fly to Pakistan following the death of his mother-in-law.
Azhar’s chances of returning in time to play later this week will depend on how quickly a return visa can be arranged.
Without him, Pakistan were bowled out cheaply in their second innings at the weekend – when England came close to pulling off an improbable victory, before bad light intervened.
Regular number three Azhar was expected to return as an opener, in place of Shan Masood – who was twice bounced out by James Anderson at the Zayed Cricket Stadium, for scores of just two and one.
Coach Waqar Younis was unimpressed by the collapse to 173 all out in the second innings.
Off-spinner Bilal Asif will be called for his dubious action within six months or at max in a year. #PCB not learning #chucking #crackdown
— Nabeel Hashmi (@NabeelHashmi88) September 30, 2015
He said: “It’s unacceptable to bat like we did.
“It should have been a straightforward draw, but … we allowed them to come that close, to threaten us and run away with the game.
“We should realise we are a very good Test side but we committed some silly mistakes … we have to really pull our socks up in the second Test.”
Leg-spinner Yasir Shah, an 11th-hour absentee in the first Test because of a back spasm on the eve of the series opener, is expected to be fit to return in Dubai.
