Bangladesh’s Gazi banned over arm action

Bangladesh off-spinner Sohag Gazi has been banned from bowling in all forms of cricket after his bowling action was found to be illegal.

Chief executive officer of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Nizamuddin Chowdhury said a report was received from the International Cricket Council (ICC), which said Gazi bent his arm by more than the permitted 15 degrees during testing.

“We’ll take step to rectify his bowling action according to the directions of ICC,” Chowdhury told AFP on Wednesday.

An ICC statement later confirmed that Zimbabwe’s Prosper Utseya was also banned from bowling from international cricket.

“The analysis revealed that all of their deliveries exceeded the 15 degrees level of tolerance permitted under the regulations,” it said.

Gazi was reported for suspect action after the second one-day international against West Indies in August, while Utseya was reported after the third one-day international against South Africa in Bulawayo that same month.

Both players underwent bio-mechanical testing on September 19 at the Cardiff Metropolitan University in Wales.

Their suspension came as part of a wider drive by the ICC against bowlers with suspect actions, with Pakistan’s Saeed Ajmal, Sri Lanka’s Sachitra Senanayake and New Zealand’s Kane Williamson also being suspended since July.

Bangladesh’s Al-Amin was also reported during the series in the West Indies.

Banned Gazi played 10 Tests and 20 ODIs for Bangladesh, taking 38 and 22 wickets respectively.

In October 2013 he became the first man in history to claim a hattrick and score a century in the same Test during a match against New Zealand in Chittagong.

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