'Doosra' should be a part of cricket, not taken away from it, Mohammed Hafeez tells ICC
Mohammed Hafeez has urged the ICC authorities to re-think the existing rules in order to retain the ‘Doosra’ delivery which he insisted was an essential part of cricket. Hafeez has been banned by the ICC from bowling after his unorthodox action was found illegal on two separate occasions.
After Pakistan beat India in the final of last year’s Champions Trophy, the Pakistan cricket team has endured somewhat of a mixed bag of results during their outings. They lost the ODI series versus New Zealand without winning a single game in the five-match series only to win the T20 series later on against the hosts. They lost the two-match Test series versus Sri Lanka last year as well after which they inflicted a whitewash on their opponents in the ODI and T20I series.
Hafeez has been adamant that ups and downs are part of the game, but he had some interesting things to say regarding the ‘Doosrar’. Hafeez came out in support of retaining the ‘Doosra’ delivery in the sport of cricket, as he urged the ICC authorities to re-examine the rules in order to provide some leeway to bowlers.
"Really happy to see leg spinners come into international cricket. But I still believe something should happen when it comes to the doosra," Hafeez said on the sidelines of the Pakistan Super League.
"Saeed Ajmal has given us a lot of excitement as well as Saqlain Mushtaq. It is one area ICC must look into. Some extension in the rules... doosra should be a part of cricket, not taken away from it."
Hafeez, a prolific batsman and part-time off-spinner, had earlier been reported on more than one occasion for his unorthodox bowling action and is banned from bowling in ICC events for the moment. Hafeez said he is not surprised by the rise of leg-spinners in world cricket as he felt that they have a higher tendency to get wickets.
"This is one area that every team looks forward to. Having leg spinners in the team provides them with lots of excitement and options to get wickets.
"Leg-spinners are always fascinating when it comes to cricket, starting from Abdul Qadir when he used to bowl his googlies it was a new thing in cricket and everyone just loved that. Then the legacy continued led by Anil Kumble from India, Shane Warne from Australia, Mushtaq Ahmad from Pakistan." Hafeez added.
