DHAKA: Bangladesh speedster Taskin Ahmed and left-arm spinner Arafat Sunny were both cleared to resume bowling in international cricket Friday, six months after being suspended during the World Twenty20 for illegal actions.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) said both players had passed reassessment tests in Australia earlier this month, paving the way for Taskin’s return to action this weekend when Bangladesh play Afghanistan.
“The bowling actions of Bangladesh’s Arafat Sunny and Taskin Ahmed have been found to be legal and both bowlers can now resume bowling in international cricket, effective immediately,” the ICC said in a statement.
The pair’s suspension in March in the middle of the World T20 tournament in India caused outrage back home, with protesters taking to the streets to denounce the decision.
Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Mortaza broke down in tears at a tournament press conference after the suspension was announced, saying his team would strive to overturn what he termed an “injustice.”
The pair were both reported by the umpires for suspect actions after Bangladesh’s opening match in the tournament against the Netherlands and their suspensions were ordered just ahead of a crunch tie against Australia.
Taskin was among the 13 players to be named on Thursday in the Bangladesh squad for the first two ODIs in a three-match series against Afghanistan, which begins in Dhaka on Sunday.
ICC clears suspended Bangladesh bowling duo
ICC clears suspended Bangladesh bowling duo
Kane helps Bayern past Leipzig into German Cup semis
- Bayern join defending champions Stuttgart, Bayer Leverkusen and Freiburg in the last four of this season’s competition
MUNICH, Germany: Harry Kane scored a penalty and Luis Diaz struck again as Bayern Munich beat RB Leipzig 2-0 on Wednesday to reach the German Cup semifinals for the first time since 2020.
Already on the wrong side of two Bayern thumpings this season, Leipzig were much improved but the hosts grabbed hold of the match with two goals in four second-half minutes.
Bayern join defending champions Stuttgart, Bayer Leverkusen and Freiburg in the last four of this season’s competition.
Kane’s penalty was his 39th goal in all competitions for Bayern this season, while Diaz’s goal was his fifth in his past three matches.
Winners of this competition a record 20 times, 14 more than any other club, Bayern had failed to make it past the quarter-finals since 2020, when they beat Leverkusen in the final.
Leipzig had won two of the past four German Cups but Bayern had form over the visitors this season, winning their two Bundesliga clashes by a combined score of 11-1.
Leipzig pressured the hosts early and were celebrating a goal after just four minutes, but an acrobatic Christoph Baumgartner strike was disallowed for a narrow offside.
Bayern immediately made the most of the let-off, Kane forcing a last-ditch clearance from Ridle Baku with the Leipzig goalkeeper laying on the turf.
The home side gradually wrestled control of the match and were unlucky not to take the lead with 57 minutes gone when Leipzig ‘keeper Maarten Vandevoordt denied Serge Gnabry with a stunning save.
Bayern were in front just five minutes later, Kane converting from the spot after Vandevoordt felled an advancing Josip Stanisic in the box.
Kane’s spot-kick, his fifth goal versus Leipzig this season, was his 12th penalty in all competitions this campaign.
Bayern’s goals this season have come in bursts and the Bavarians scored again just four minutes later, when Michael Olize found Diaz on the counter to help book a spot in the final four.
The German Cup final will be held at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium on May 23.
