Shoaib Malik celebrates Photo © AFP

The Pakistan off-spinner Shoaib Malik has been reported by the match referee for a suspect bowling action.

The Zimbabwean match referee for the ARY Gold Cup tournament in Sharjah, Justice Ebrahim Ahmed, said in a brief but crisp statement after the final game: "The umpires have reported Shoaib Malik for suspect bowling action and after informing the Pakistan team management I'll be sending the report to the International Cricket Council."

According to the ICC manual on suspect bowling actions, it is mandatory for the match referee to obtain video footage of the bowler's action when it is suspected by the umpires of being illegal. The material must then be sent to the ICC.

The ICC manual also makes it mandatory for the referee to send two video copies of the suspect bowlers along with his report to the home board, in this case the Pakistan Cricket Board.

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