Akila Dananjaya, Sri Lanka Spinner, Banned From Bowling For One Year By ICC

Sri Lanka spinner Akila Danajaya has been banned from bowling in international matches for one year after his bowling action was deemed illegal. In a statement released by the International Cricket Council, it said he was found to have an illegal action following another assessment after being reported again last month. "As the latest report constitutes the player's second report within a two-year period, the first of which led to a suspension, he is automatically suspended from bowling in international cricket for a period of 12 months," the ICC statement read.

Dananjaya was subjected to an independent assessment of his bowling action after umpires questioned his style in the first Test against New Zealand at Galle in August. Dananajaya had been suspended in December after being reported by umpires during the first Test against England in November 2018, but was permitted to resume bowling in February following "remedial work on his action." 

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The ICC said Dananjaya will be entitled to approach the ICC for a re-assessment of his bowling action after the expiry of this one-year period. The 25-year-old had opted out of the six-match limited overs tournament starting September 27 in Pakistan.

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Dananjaya has played just six Tests for Sri Lanka so far, claiming 33 wickets at an impressive average of 24.81 and he had claimed six scalps in the Galle Test, including a five-wicket haul in the first innings before being reported for a suspect action. His best moment came in the Hambantota ODI against India in 2017 in which he claimed 6/54 and almost gave Sri Lanka a narrow win. 

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