Pakistan spinner Ajmal banned from bowling for illegal action

Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal has been banned from bowling for an illegal action, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Tuesday.

Currently the top-ranked bowler in one-day internationals, the 26-year-old spinner was reported for his dodgy action by the umpires after last month's Galle test against Sri Lanka and flew to Brisbane to undergo biomechanical tests.

"...an independent analysis has found the bowling action of Pakistan's off-spinner Saeed Ajmal to be illegal and, as such, the player has been suspended from bowling in international cricket with immediate effect," the ICC said in a statement.

Ajmal was also reported for a suspect action in 2009 before being cleared by the ICC.

While some suspected the off-spinner's 'doosra' - the delivery that spins the other way - exceeded the permissible straightening of the elbow joint for bowlers, the ICC said all Ajmal deliveries breached the limit.

"The analysis revealed that all his deliveries exceeded the 15 degrees level of tolerance permitted under the regulations," the governing body said.

Ajmal, who has taken 178 wickets from 35 Tests to go with 183 from 111 ODIs, can now apply for a re-assessment after modifying his bowling action.

While the ICC has denied asking match officials to be more vigilant about chucking, the renewed vigour in identifying bowlers with illegal actions has been evident.

Ajmal is among the four off-spinners to have recently been reported for a suspect action, along with Sri Lanka's Sachithra Senanayake, New Zealand's Kane Williamson and Zimbabwe all-rounder Prosper Utseya. 

The ruling is a blow to Pakistan ahead of their series against Australia in the United Arab Emirates starting next month.

It also comes just a few months before the one-day Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, which starts in February.

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