Match officials have officially reported Bangladesh’s debutant offspinner Aliss Al Islam for a suspect bowling action following his side’s ODI tri-series match against Afghanistan. The development casts a shadow over the international introduction of the mystery spinner, who has steadily worked his way through the domestic and regional circuits before earning his senior national cap in the 50-over format.
According to an official statement released by the International Cricket Council (ICC), the match officials’ report formally cited concerns regarding the legality of Aliss’ bowling action in the immediate aftermath of Bangladesh’s defeat against Afghanistan. As part of the standard protocol governing suspected illegal bowling actions in international cricket, Aliss will now be required to undergo an independent assessment of his bowling action at an ICC-accredited testing centre. This evaluation will be conducted in strict accordance with the governing body’s established regulations concerning illegal bowling actions.
While the administrative process moves forward, Cricinfo understands that the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has not yet finalized its decision regarding where exactly to send Aliss for the mandatory independent assessment. Under the prevailing ICC guidelines, bowlers are permitted an elbow extension of up to 15 degrees while delivering the ball. Crucially, until the results of his independent test are officially known and processed, Aliss remains entirely permitted to continue bowling in international and domestic matches.
This latest development marks a recurring chapter in the young spinner’s career, as it is not the first time Aliss has faced scrutiny over his bowling action. The initial instance occurred back in 2019, a momentous period when he burst onto the professional scene by taking a memorable hat-trick on his Twenty20 debut for the Dhaka Dynamites in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). Following that initial report, Aliss underwent and successfully passed a domestic bowling action test administered under the supervision of the BCB in October of that same year.
His action came under the scanner once again during the BPL last year. Demonstrating resilience and working closely with local coaches, Aliss subsequently cleared another BCB bowling action test, allowing him to resume his career without regulatory hindrance until this latest international report during the tri-series encounter in Sharjah.
Aliss has carved out a distinct niche for himself in the limited-overs formats due to his unique repertoire as a mystery spinner. Known predominantly for his ability to impart spin in both directions, he has frequently troubled top-order and middle-order batsmen alike. A key component of his bowling technique involves delivering select variations from the front of the hand, a subtle variation that has yielded significant success and elevated his status as a tricky proposition in shorter formats of the game.
His overall career statistics reflect a bowler who has maintained consistent utility across domestic leagues and limited opportunities. In the T20 format, Aliss has accumulated 60 wickets across 59 matches, maintaining an impressive and economical bowling rate of 6.38 runs per over. In the 50-over List A format, he has featured in 20 matches, claiming 35 wickets at a remarkable bowling average of 18.40. Despite his relative success in white-ball cricket, Aliss has yet to make his mark in the longer format of the game, having never played first-class cricket.
The latest ODI match against Afghanistan saw the debutant endure a challenging outing on the field. Aliss went wicketless, finishing with figures of 0 for 47 from his 8.3 overs as Bangladesh fell to a comprehensive seven-wicket defeat against their opponents. Prior to his maiden appearance in the 50-over format during the Sharjah tri-series, Aliss also featured for his country earlier this month when he made his T20I debut against Sri Lanka during the bronze-medal match at the Asian Games in Nissin.
As the BCB weighs its options regarding the upcoming independent testing center, the national team management and Aliss himself will hope for a swift and favorable resolution to the process, allowing the spinner to clear his name and resume his fledgling international career without further interruption.
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