Aliss in Trouble as Bowling Action Comes Under Scrutiny Again on International Debut

Bangladesh mystery spinner Aliss Al Islam has encountered a major hurdle before he could fully savour the joy of making his debut for the national team. After making his T20I debut at the Asian Games, the 29-year-old featured in an ODI against Afghanistan in Sharjah yesterday. However, before he could properly celebrate the milestone, he was reported for a suspected illegal bowling action by the match officials.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) officially confirmed the development in a press release on Thursday. During Bangladesh’s match against Afghanistan in the ongoing tri-nation series in the United Arab Emirates, the on-field officials raised concerns over Aliss’s bowling action and submitted a report.

Under the ICC’s existing regulations, Aliss will now undergo an assessment at an ICC-accredited testing facility. If video analysis and scientific evaluation establish that his bowling action is illegal, he will immediately face a suspension from bowling in international cricket. In that case, the spinner will not be permitted to bowl for Bangladesh until he corrects the technical flaws and successfully passes a reassessment.

However, this is not the first time Aliss has faced controversy over his bowling action. He has encountered similar situations on several occasions in domestic cricket. During the 2019 Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), he grabbed the spotlight by taking a hat-trick in his very first match. However, concerns were raised over his bowling action immediately after that game. The issue was subsequently resolved after he received clearance.

Last year, Aliss again came under scrutiny while playing in the BPL. He subsequently underwent a rehabilitation and testing process under the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and managed to clear the assessment.

Now, just as he has stepped beyond the domestic arena and made his mark at the highest level of the game, the familiar issue has resurfaced, presenting another challenge in the spinner’s career.