Shabbir Ahmed

Islamabad: Armed with an “all-clear report”, Pakistan pacer Shabbir Ahmed has joined the probables at the training camp on his return from Australia where he had gone to correct his bowling action following a warning from the ICC.

Pakistan team manager Haroon Rashid said Shabbir had returned from Australia with an all-clear report from bowling coach Daryl Foster.

“Basically, Foster has conveyed that there was a 10 to 15 per cent problem with his action which has now been corrected with slight modification,” Haroon was quoted as saying by the local daily The News.

The PCB had sent Shabbir to the University of Western Australia where Foster and other experts scrutinised his bowling action scientifically and brought about the corrective measures.

Shabbir was reported for a suspect bowling action by umpires Billy Bowden and Darrell Hair during the fifth and final one-day International against New Zealand in Wellington on January 18.

Pakistan coach Javed Miandad said Shabbir’s inclusion in the camp was a positive sign as he formed an important part of the bowling attack.

“I think he is the most improved bowler in recent months and we need him to support Shoaib and Sami,” Miandad said.

Shabbir said Foster had told him that since his right shoulder was falling backwards in the delivery stride, it gave the illusion he was throwing. “But now Foster has worked on slightly modifying my action specially not allowing the shoulder to fall back,” he said.

PCB officials were confident that Shabbir would not have any problems in playing in this month’s one-day series against India as ICC had not yet sent them the footage of Shabbir which was found objectionable by the umpires in the New Zealand series.

Meanwhile, Bengal under-19 seamer Sourav Sarkar has been asked to be present at the three-day national training camp for the Pakistan tour beginning here on Sunday, adds A Staff Reporter in Calcutta.

According to a top CAB official, Sarkar and Shib Shankar Paul were asked to join the camp as practice bowlers, but the latter will not be available as he is playing in the Duleep Trophy final at Mohali. Sarkar was a member of the India under-19 which took part in the junior Asia Cup in Pakistan, but lost out on a berth in the junior World Cup squad. (PTI)