To Chuck, Or Not to Chuck

Photo: Firoz Ahmed

In cricket, chucking or throwing is the act of flexing the bowler's arm by over 15 degrees, and is considered an illegal move, as ICC laws allow a maximum of 15 degree flex of the arm. Recently, Sohag Gazi of the Bangladesh National Team has been banned from international matches by ICC for illegal bowling, as have some others from around the globe. We asked some hardcore cricket fans from North South University to opine on the justification of these recent bans, and whether or not they are happy with the decisions.

Promito Musharraf Bhuiyan (4th year): The bowlers who have been reported and suspended definitely have some issues with their bowling. Since I believe that the rules should be same for everyone and bending more than the limit might give undue advantage to the bowler, the action by ICC is justified. However, the recent change in the power structure and timing of these actions just before the World Cup have definitely raised eyebrows since no bowler from the Big 3 -- India, Australia and England -- has been reported yet. So, ICC should be fair to all the bowlers, regardless of their nationality, to dispel any allegation of discrimination.

Dristy Rahman (2nd year): Even though I want to believe that Gazi is innocent, I happen to think a little more practically. Players as talented as Gazi ought to know the rules and comply by them. If their actions negate the international cricketing rules, I respect ICC's decision and am completely in support of the actions taken. In a country like Bangladesh where cricket is widely celebrated, Gazi and his mates are role models; they mustn't do anything on the international stage that puts the entire national team in a vulnerable position.

Zakiul Ehsan (3rd year): The timing of ICC's crackdown on bowling is a huge dent for teams preparing for the 2015 Cricket World Cup, which is just months away. New rules in one-day cricket have already made life easier for the batsmen. As a lover of the sport, I would want to watch a competitive game. It seems like the matches will now lack entertainment without good, skilful bowlers such as Narine or Ajmal. I believe ICC needs to modify its existing rules for the sake of the game and I feel that they have been too harsh in this case.

Adiba Hassan (3rd year): I personally have mixed feeling about the whole matter of banning bowlers for chucking. Of course the bans are justified since it's a rule of cricket which has been strictly followed by former renowned bowlers. As a fan of the sport, it's quite sad for me that popular spinners like Sunil Narine, Saeed Ajmal and Sananayake are being suspended for a rule which they should have been accustomed to long before playing for their nations. As a Bangladeshi, it's even more disappointing for me to not see Gazi play in the Zimbabwe-Bangladesh series.