Sri Lankan spinner Akila Dananjaya has been suspended by the International Cricket Council (ICC) from bowling. His action was found to be illegal by an independent assessment. With an immediate effect, he won’t be allowed to bowl in international cricket.
The bowling action of Akila Dananjaya was reported suspicious after Sri Lanka’s Test series against England at home. He had undergone an assessment in the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane on November 23. His stock deliveries – off-spin, were found to be exceeding the permissible tolerance limit of 15 degrees.
However, he can continue to bowl in domestic cricket with the consent of Sri Lanka Cricket Board. The 25-year-old is free to apply for a re-assessment after modifications. If his modified action is found to be within the permissible limit, he will be allowed to bowl again in international cricket.
“In accordance with Article 11.1 of the ICC Regulations For The Review of Bowlers Reported with Suspect Illegal Bowling Actions, Dananjaya’s international suspension will also be recognised and enforced by all National Cricket Federations for domestic cricket events played in their own jurisdiction,” the ICC Release stated.
“However, according to Article 11.5 of the Regulations and with the consent of the Sri Lanka Cricket, Dananjaya may be able to bowl in domestic cricket events played under the auspices of the SLC,” it further stated.
Addition to Sri Lanka’s woes
Sri Lankan cricket has been in an absolute turmoil in recent times. In the past couple of years, they have been struggling across all 3 formats. They used to be dominant at home but recently, England beat Sri Lanka in their own backyard. Now the suspension of Akila Dananjaya only adds to the woes.
The ODI World Cup of 2019 is fast approaching and all the teams are in the process to figure out their final squads. Now, with Dananjaya’s ban, the preparations of Sri Lanka take a major hit. He is one of the few players who was doing well but now the team has to look for a replacement.
Additionally, the veteran Rangana Herath had recently retired from Test cricket. Dananjaya was making his mark in Test cricket and was being looked upon as the replacement. He will have to work on his action and would strive hard to make a comeback soon.
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