Sohag Gazi suspended from bowling

Bangladesh offspinner Sohag Gazi has been suspended from bowling in international cricket with immediate effect after his action was found to violate the ICC's 15-degree limit. He was reported for a suspect action by ICC match officials in August, when on tour in West Indies, and subsequent independent testing at an accredited facility revealed all of his deliveries were over the limit.

"He has been suspended by the ICC," BCB cricket operations committee chairman Akram Khan told ESPNcricinfo. "The CEO just told me that his action is over the 15-degree mark."

BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury said the board would support Gazi by bringing him to work on his action within the next few days. Though ICC regulations say Gazi can play domestic cricket with the BCB's permission, Chowdhury said the sensible thing to do would be to keep him away from domestic cricket until he has worked on his action with the bowling review group.

"We will do everything that is necessary since he is an important player," Chowdhury said. "The first step would be to get him working with a bowling review group, which has to be formed as soon as possible. How long it would take for him to be ready for the final testing would depend on him as well as the coaches he will work with.

"The board would have to allow him to play domestic cricket but since he was suspected and then proved, not allowing him to play would be the logical and standard practice. He should only come back to domestic cricket after the BRG is satisfied with his action. We will definitely give him competitive cricket before his final test."

Gazi had been reported after the second ODI at St George's on August 22, but he did play the next game and that was where his tour ended. He was pulled out of the Test squad so that he could undergo testing on his action in Cardiff.

Gazi had been hopeful of a favourable result and was looking forward to returning for the Zimbabwe series that begins on October 25. Now, however, he will have to undergo remedial measures to bring his action within legal limits and can contact the ICC about re-testing at any time.

The ICC's officials have been strict with identifying illegal actions in recent months and bans were handed out to Pakistan's Saeed Ajmal and Sri Lanka's Sachithra Senanayake among others, after both were found guilty of breaking the 15-degree flex rule.

A similar drive was undertaken in the recent Champions League T20, during which West Indies spinner Sunil Narine was banned from bowling in the final and other BCCI-organised tournaments like the IPL.