Bangladesh fast-bowler Taskin Ahmed and left-arm spinner Arafat Sunny have had their remodelled actions cleared by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and may resume bowling in international cricket immediately, with Taskin set to be announced as the yet unnamed 14th member in Bangladesh’s ODI squad for their three-match One-Day International series against Afghanistan starting tomorrow in Mirpur.
After working closely with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to remedy their actions, the pair underwent a bowling test at the National Cricket Centre, an ICC-accredited centre in Brisbane, on September 8 and their elbow extensions on all deliveries were found to be within the legal limit of 15 degrees.
The pair had been reported during Bangladesh’s first 2016 World T20 match against the Netherlands on March 9 and subsequently underwent a bowling test in Chennai, where their actions were found to be illegal. The players played no further part in the tournament and have since sat out of international cricket.
The BCB had contested the decision at the time and it raised a furore among Bangladesh cricket fans as well, but the decision was upheld by a judicial commission.
Fan favourite Taskin is likely to return to action tomorrow in the first ODI against Afghanistan, with chief selector Minhajul Abedin confirming earlier that a spot would be open for him in the event that he was cleared.
Although Sunny does not seem to have a place in the team at the moment, he will be raring to force his way back into the almost impregnable Bangladesh side through the kind of performances in domestic cricket which saw him on the flight to that ill-fated World T20.
