By Innocent Ndawula
Irfan Afridi Muhammad will not bowl again in International Cricket with immediate effect.
This communication comes after an email seen by Cricket Uganda from an ICC Panel this morning. The panel deemed Uganda's best bowling weapon - Afridi to have an illegal bowling action.
The big-hitting all-rounder, a darling of many fans across Associate Cricket and a nephew of Pakistan legend and former captain Shahid Afridi, was the best bowler at the last three international tournaments Uganda competed in including; The ICC World Cricket League Division III in Uganda (May 2017), ICC World Cricket League Division IV in Malaysia (May 2018) and the ICC World Twenty 20 Africa B Qualifiers in Rwanda (July 2018).
But we might no see him again unleash the starfish celebration after snaring out another wicket as he has to undergo corrective measure forthwith.
Irfan will now have to go to one of the ICC Accredited Testing Centres that include; Lahore University of Management Sciences in Pakistan, Loughborough University, Leicestershire in UK, Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai in India, The National Cricket Centre, Brisbane in Australia and the University of Pretoria, Hatfield in South Africa
For corrective procedure.
The full statement from ICC;
International Cricket Council
13 November 2018
During the WCL Division 3 match between Uganda and Denmark on the 9 November 2018, Irfan Muhammad was reported for a suspect bowling action.
In line with the regulations for the review of bowlers reported with suspect illegal bowling actions, an Expert Panel was appointed to review the match footage of Irfan’s bowling action that was captured during the match in which he was reported. The review and subsequent assessment was conducted by Mark King and Andrea Cutti, who both are members of the ICC Panel of Human Movement Specialists.
A copy of their report is attached.
In the report, the Expert Panel has concluded that the amount of elbow extension in Irfan’s bowling action was above the 15° level of tolerance permitted the ICC Regulations.
Irfan is therefore suspended from bowling in international cricket with immediate effect.
We will issue a media release to this effect and advise the participating teams and match officials involved in the event in Oman.
Please do not hesitate to contact me should you require any further information. Regards,
Not signed as sent electronically
CLIVE HITCHCOCK
SENIOR CRICKET OPERATIONS MANAGER
