Taskin Ahmed
Bangladesh speedster Taskin Ahmed and left-arm spinner Arafat Sunny were both cleared to resume bowling in international cricket Friday, six months after being suspended during the World Twenty20 for illegal actions.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) said both players had passed reassessment tests in Australia earlier this month, paving the way for Taskin’s return to action this weekend when Bangladesh play Afghanistan.
“The bowling actions of Bangladesh’s Arafat Sunny and Taskin Ahmed have been found to be legal and both bowlers can now resume bowling in international cricket, effective immediately,” the ICC said in a statement.
The pair’s suspension in March in the middle of the World T20 tournament in India caused outrage back home, with protestors taking to the streets to denounce the decision.
Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Mortaza broke down in tears at a tournament press conference after the suspension was announced, saying his team would strive to overturn what he termed an “injustice”.
The pair were both reported by the umpires for suspect actions after Bangladesh’s opening match in the tournament against the Netherlands and their suspensions were ordered just ahead of a crunch tie against Australia.
Taskin was among the 13 players to be named on Thursday in the Bangladesh squad for the first two ODIs in a three-match series against Afghanistan, which begins in Dhaka on Sunday.