Clear Malik's action on medical grounds, says PCB

Will Shoaib Malik be cleared to bowl against India? © Getty Images

The Pakistan board has requested the ICC to clear Shoaib Malik's bowling action on medical grounds. Malik was reported for his suspect action during the Paktel Cup one-day tournament in October last year, and hasn't bowled at all in Australia, but the PCB has suggested that the kink was the result of an accident which Malik suffered two years ago.

"The tests have shown that Malik was [involved] in a road accident two years back and as a result he has lost control of tendon in his bowling arm which is causing the problem," Shaharyar Khan, the chairman of the board, told Reuters. "We have asked the ICC to permit him to bowl again on medical grounds."

Malik has already undergone two rounds of tests at the University of Western Australia, and it's been found that both his regular delivery and his doosra have elbow bends which exceed the prescribed limit. However, Sharharyar maintained that the board was doing everything to ensure Malik got the permission to bowl again. "We have sent the biomechanic reports on Malik's action from the University of Western Australia human movement department in Perth to the ICC. We have also submitted the report of our committee on illegal bowling actions as we want them to clear his action at least before the tour to India later this month."

According to the current ICC rules, spinners are only allowed a five-degree flex, while fast bowlers can bend their elbows by 15 degrees. However, according to a new rule which has been proposed, all bowlers would be allowed a 15-degree flex.