Shoaib Akhtar can be counted among those who fear that the world might end on New Year's Eve. It is then that he must endure his personal judgment day as the International Cricket Council's illegal deliveries panel reaches its verdict on the validity of the world's most tearaway bowling action. The Pakistan fast bowler is the most charismatic player to burst on to the Test scene since Shane Warne, but his career could be in ruins if the ICC's nine-man "chucking" panel concludes, after telephone discussions the previous day, that his action is flawed.
A 20-minute video of Shoaib's action has been passed to Pakistan officials by the ICC's manager of cricket operations, Clive Hitchcock, in the wake of the controversy during Pakistan's recent series in Australia. The official investigation - which the ICC, as ever, had made futile attempts to conceal - was revealed yesterday by Shafqat Rana, the secretary of the Pakistan board. "We received a video and a letter from Clive Hitchcock on Tuesday," he said. "It stated that the ICC's advisory panel on illegal deliveries will discuss the issue on December 30th in a conference call."
Pakistan will be represented on the panel by its legendary fast bowler and World Cup-winning captain Imran Khan.
The bowling action was first questioned by Australian umpires Ross Emerson and Terry Prue in early November.
According to Hitchcock's letter, the English umpire Peter Willey is also among those who have expressed doubts about Shoaib's action. Willey officiated in the Perth Test earlier this month alongside the Australian, Darrell Hair. The umpires' reservations were reported to the ICC by the match referee, John Reid, which obliged it to take action.
Shoaib will either be exonerated - for the time being at least - or the ICC will ask that remedial action be taken. Pakistan will not withdraw Shoaib from the triangular series in Australia next month, at least not until the ICC's verdict is announced.
"The ICC has not told us to withdraw him from the squad," said Rana. "A panel of Test stalwarts watched the video and everybody was convinced that Shoaib has a textbook action."
The ICC letter stated: "The report by the match referee has made it clear that not every delivery is affected, but all three officials were concerned about the straightening of Akhtar's arm immediately before a bouncer or an express fast delivery."
Shoaib's form collapsed during the furore. He took only six wickets at 66 runs apiece during the Australian tour, and bowled no faster than 95 m.p.h. Pakistan will return to Australia on December 29th to compete in a triangular limited overs tournament also involving bitter rivals India.
