Bad news follows international cricket debut: Alis under scrutiny for a suspect bowling action

Questions have once again been raised regarding the bowling action of Bangladesh’s mystery spinner, Aliss Al Islam. During his ODI debut against Afghanistan in a tri-nation series held in the UAE, match officials flagged his bowling action as suspicious. Consequently, the 29-year-old spinner will now be required to undergo an assessment of his bowling action at an ICC-accredited testing facility.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced this in a press release today. In accordance with the ICC’s regulations concerning illegal bowling actions, Aliss’s action will be evaluated through formal testing.

Should his bowling action be found to be illegal, Aliss could face a temporary suspension from bowling in international cricket. He would remain barred from bowling in international matches until he corrects his action and successfully passes a re-evaluation.

A setback following debuts in two formats

Aliss made his debut for Bangladesh in the T20 format during the recent Asian Games. Yesterday, he also made his ODI debut in a match against Afghanistan in Sharjah. While he was enjoying the milestone of representing the national team across two formats, the spinner now faces a fresh challenge concerning his bowling action.

Previous concerns regarding Aliss’s action

This is not the first time questions have been raised about Aliss’s bowling action. He first gained attention by taking a hat-trick on his debut in the 2019 Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). Following that match, concerns were raised about his bowling action; however, he underwent testing in October of that same year and was cleared.

Last year, during the BPL, his action was questioned once again. He subsequently underwent testing under the supervision of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and passed.

Now, having made his debut in two formats of international cricket, Aliss finds himself facing the same issue once more. It remains to be seen whether his bowling action will be deemed legal following the ICC’s assessment.