The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Shoaib Malik unlikely to bowl in Indian series

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Feb 24, 2005

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Sport - Cricket

Shoaib Malik unlikely to bowl in Indian series

KARACHI, FEB. 23. Pakistan all-rounder Shoaib Malik is unlikely to bowl in the forthcoming tour of India, cricket board officials said on Wednesday.

``We have sent Shoaib Malik's footages and medical reports to the International Cricket Council (ICC) for analysis. But frankly speaking, we are hoping against hope that he will be available for us as a spinner in India,'' PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan said.

``We have asked the ICC to permit him to bowl again on medical grounds but I don't think he will get the reprieve,'' Shaharyar said.

Malik has taken just eight wickets in eight Tests but in 93 one-dayers he has 80 wickets. Most importantly, his inclusion in the team provides Pakistan the luxury of six bowling options.

According to a report prepared by University of Western Australia's Prof. Bruce Elliott, Malik's ``off-break and doosra deliveries were characterised by elbow extension values (20.8 degrees and 33.4 degrees) above the current and proposed levels of acceptability, as defined by the ICC.''

Malik was reported by umpires Simon Taufel and Aleem Dar for a suspect bowling action after a one-day game against Sri Lanka in October last year. — PTI

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