Pakistan appeal against Shabbir Ahmed's ban

Shabbir Ahmed: 'This whole episode has made me a depression patient' © Getty Images

Pakistan have lodged an appeal against the ICC's one-year ban on Shabbir Ahmed. "We have filed an appeal with the ICC against the ban," Salim Altaf, the director of operations of the Pakistan board, said.

Shabbir became the first bowler to be banned from bowling in international cricket after an assessment by the University of Western Australia confirmed he had an illegal action. The ICC announced the decision on Monday and Shabbir has 14 days to appeal.

Altaf said the Pakistan Cricket Board had material from biomechanic experts to support its case, adding that not all of Ahmed's deliveries were found to be illegal. "We sent Shabbir to Australia for tests in October and a letter from Daryl Foster, the bowling expert, which we have received on Thursday, showed not all of his deliveries were beyond the allowed limits."

Under new ICC rules, a bowler is allowed 15 degrees to straighten his arm, the limit visible to the naked eye. The ICC would now form a review group to hear Ahmed's appeal, Altaf said. He was first reported and suspended earlier this year but returned to international cricket following remedial work on his action and a full bio-mechanical analysis that showed he had made necessary adjustments to his bowling style.

But 29-year-old Shabbir was reported a second time, during the first Test against England at Multan in November. He was reported under the revised ICC bowling regulations by Simon Taufel and Billy Bowden, the on-field umpires, and Asad Rauf, the TV umpire.

Under the new ICC process, a bowler reported and assessed as bowling illegally for a second time within two years of the first period of suspension receives a mandatory one-year ban. "I hope to get justice because this whole episode has made me a depression patient," Shabbir said, who has considered quitting the game after the ban.