Sri Lanka all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga has been suspended from Bangladesh’s upcoming two-Test series, shortly after announcing his return to Test cricket following retirement from the format last year.
Hasaranga’s suspension stems from an incident during the third ODI against Bangladesh, where he breached Article 2.8 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel by showing dissent at an umpire’s decision. This resulted in a 50 percent fine and three demerit points, bringing his total to eight within 24 months.
Already on five demerit points, Hasaranga’s accumulated total led to a suspension from two T20Is against Bangladesh. Now, with four suspension points, he will miss the two ICC World Test Championship Tests against Bangladesh.
This development comes after Sri Lanka’s victory in the T20 series against Bangladesh, with Hasaranga’s absence from the Test series impacting Sri Lanka’s lineup ahead of the T20I World Cup.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis has also been fined 50 per cent of his match for a Level 2 offence. According to the ICC, He was found guilty of breaching article 2.13 of the Code, which relates to “Personal abuse of a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire or Match Referee during an International Match.”
In addition to this, three demerit points have been added to the disciplinary record of Mendis, for whom it was the first offence in a 24-month period.
Mendis abused the umpires while shaking hands with them at the end of the match, the ICC says.
Both Hasaranga and Mendis admitted their offences and accepted the sanctions proposed by Andy Pycroft of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees and, as such, there was no need for formal hearings.
On-field umpires Sharfuddoula Saikat and Tanvir Ahmed, third umpire Adrian Holdstock and fourth umpire Richard Kettleborough leveled the charges.
