Muhammad Hafeez suspended for illegal bowling action

Pakistan off-spinner Muhammad Hafeez has been suspended for the third time by the International Cricket Council (ICC) with immediate effect for his illegal bowling action.

Hafeez had earlier undergone a biomechanics test in England for his suspected bowling action, where he was asked to bowl 24 deliveries in the test, which lasted for more than 90 minutes.

As reported in Pakistan newspaper Dawn, the test revealed that Hafeez bent his arm more than 15 degrees for the majority of his deliveries, which is illegal according to ICC regulations as 15 degrees is the maximum level of tolerance.

"Pursuant to Article 11.5 of the [ICC's] Regulations and with the consent of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Hafeez may be able to bowl in domestic cricket events played under the auspices of the PCB," a statement read.

Hafeez, 37, took to twitter to express that he is saddened to know about the suspension.

The tweet read, "Saddened to know the result of my bowling action from ICC, it would never pull me down, [I] will never give up, worked so hard to remodel it and will work again twice as hard to get better to serve my beloved country Pakistan and achieve more."

The Pakistani spin bowler has already been suspended twice, earlier in July, 2015 and in December, 2014 for his bowling action.

The right-handed batsman had only resumed bowling again last December after completing a year ban and reassessment of his bowling action at the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane.