Bangladesh bowlers Arafat Sunny and Taskin Ahmed have been reported for suspect bowling actions during their side’s opening match in the World Twenty20, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said yesterday. Off-spinner Sunny, 29, and paceman Ahmed, 20, turned out for Bangladesh in a qualifying match against the Netherlands in Dharamsala on Wednesday. Bangladesh won the match by eight runs. The bowlers’ action would now be scrutinised further by the ICC under its process relating to suspected illegal bowling action. 
“The ICC is working with the Bangladesh cricket team management to confirm times for the independent testing of both bowlers at the ICC-accredited testing centre in Chennai,” the game’s world governing body said in a statement.  
Both players will be allowed to continue playing until the results of the tests are declared. The ICC launched a crackdown against suspect actions in 2014, which resulted in several leading bowlers being reported.
Their coach Chandika Hathurusingha, though, didn’t feel there was anything suspect about their actions, and questioned the timing of this report - following their game against Netherlands on Wednesday - while they have been bowling “the same way for the last 12 months”.
“If they have a concern about my bowlers, I have a concern about their [ICC’s] actions as well,” Hathurusingha said. “I don’t see anything wrong. They have bowled the same way as the last 12 months. As you said if they [the ICC officials] have officiated the matches they have been playing, they must have seen something different yesterday. That’s all I can say.”
Asked how it affects his side now, Hathurusingha promised they were not going to change their actions. “It’s about how you take it,” Hathurusingha said. “As bowlers they are strong enough to understand what they are doing is right. We also think that we have no concern. They have played so much cricket, recently as well. It is a surprise for us. We have to take their concerns. They are only concerns at this stage. I don’t think it will affect the way we are playing.” Hathurusingha insisted in one word, “yes”, that he believed their actions were clean. Other bowlers who have been up hauled up include Pakistan’s Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez, Bangladesh’s Sohag Gazi, New Zealand’s Kane Williamson, Sri Lanka’s Sachithra Senanayake and Tharindu Kaushal.
 
Ireland still hopeful of progressing despite Oman loss
Captain William Porterfield has refused to write off Ireland’s chances of qualifying for the World Twenty20 Super 10 stage in India after Wednesday’s shock loss to Oman left them needing to win both their remaining Group A games.
Ireland were unable to defend 154 for five as Oman marked their debut in a major International Cricket Council (ICC) event by sealing victory with two balls to spare after needing 14 runs off the last over. “It’s very disappointing and hard to take but to a large extent, it’s still in our own hands,” Porterfield told British media.
Ireland face full-member nation Bangladesh in Dharamsala today before they take on the Netherlands at the same venue two days later. Only the group winners will progress to the Super 10 stage. “We’ve got to address it come Friday and I think that’s more mental than anything... as long as Oman lose a game, then it’s still in our own hands,” Porterfield said.
“It’ll come down to run-rate. We’ve got to win two games, but that is what it is... and we’re going to have to keep an eye on it.”