Hafeez to undergo bowling action test, will retire after 2020 T20 World Cup

Pakistan’s veteran all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez, during a press conference on Friday, revealed that he will soon take another test for his bowling action while announcing that he planned on retiring from international cricket after the upcoming 2020 International Cricket Council (ICC) Twenty20 (T20) World Cup.

Hafeez claimed that representing Pakistan was a big honour while revealing his plans for the future.

“My personal plan is that I want to play for Pakistan on the bases of fitness and performance in the 2020 ICC T20 World Cup. I would then like to take my exit from international cricket. That is my plan. We will have to see how it goes. Playing for Pakistan has always been an honour for me,” Hafeez said.

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Meanwhile, the all-rounder is likely to undergo another test on his bowling action after the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) approached the Lahore University of Management Sciences’ (LUMS) biomechanics lab for an independent assessment.

“I am ready to give bowling action test whenever and wherever the ICC asks me,” he said. “Bowling is one of my positives in the game. I will miss bowling against Bangladesh.”

Hafeez had been suspended from bowling in competitions organised by the ECB after his bowling action was found to be illegal. The all-rounder’s action was reported by umpires during the Vitality Blast T20 match between Somerset and Middlesex at Taunton on August 30, 2019.

Following the report, Hafeez's action was tested at Loughborough University and the off-spinner's elbow extension was found to exceed the 15-degree limit, according to a statement by the ECB.

Earlier, Pakistan recalled veteran all-rounders Shoaib Malik and Muhammad Hafeez in the 15-man squad for the three Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) against Bangladesh, which will be played in Lahore at the Gaddafi Stadium.

The first T20I will be played on January 24, with the second being played just a day after on January 25 and the last match will be played after one-day gap on January 27.

The matches are a part of the series which is divided into three phases. Bangladesh will leave after three-T20Is series and then return afterwards for the first Test of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test Championship. They will leave again only to return to Pakistan after Pakistan Super League’s (PSL’s) fifth edition to play one-off ODI and the second Test.