Colombo, Sep 19 (IANS): Sri Lanka spinner Akila Dananjaya was on Thursday banned from bowling in international cricket for 12 months following an independent assessment of his action, an International Cricket Council (ICC) statement said.

The 25-year-old was assessed after the legality of his bowling action came under question by match officials in the first test against New Zealand in Galle from August 14-18.

Dananjaya subsequently underwent the independent assessment in Chennai on 29 August, which revealed that he employed an illegal bowling action.

Dananjaya was originally suspended from bowling in December 2018. Following remedial work on his bowling action, he was reassessed and permitted to resume bowling in February 2019.

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.

Dananjaya will be entitled to approach the ICC for a re-assessment of his bowling action after the expiry of this one-year period.