Hathurusingha suspended as Bangladesh coach

Chandika Hathurusingha has been suspended as the head coach of the Bangladesh cricket team, the president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Faruque Ahmed announced in Mirpur today.

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Faruque Ahmed pointed out two major reasons for issuing the suspension -- misconduct against a player during the 2023 ODI World Cup in India and an extended period of leaves. Faruque also clarified Hathurusingha's contract will be terminated after 48 hours - the time period by which the Sri Lankan has to respond to his show-cause. Phil Simmons was named as a replacement for Hathrusingha and the West Indian is set to take charge till the ICC Champions Trophy next year.

"We have served him [Hathurusingha] with a showcase notice and suspension from duty as head coach today," Faruque said in a press conference in Mirpur today.

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"For South Africa, UAE, West Indies and ICC Champions Trophy, we have decided to appoint an interim head coach.

"Hathusingha has been told to reply to his showcause notice within 48 hours and his suspension will come with immediate effect. After that his contract will be suspended.

"Phil Simmons has been named the new interim head coach. He will work until Champions Trophy," he added.

Hathurusingha began his second stint as the Bangladesh head coach in January 2023, signing a two-year contract. The Tigers had some initial success under his coaching -- winning a home T20I series against England and beating Ireland in home and away series' in white-ball formats. 

But his passive role in the Shakib-Tamim fiasco right before the ODI World Cup, which ended in Tamim not getting picked in the Bangladesh squad and then the Tigers finishing eighth in the competition put him on thin ice, with many calling for his immediate removal.

Victory in a home Test against New Zealand and then winning an ODI and T20I in the New Zealand tour saved him from the axe. His job again looked in jeopardy when the Tigers lost a three-match T20I series 2-1 against the USA right before the T20 World Cup but taking Bangladesh to the Super 12s in the tournament was deemed enough for him to carry on.

Chandika Hathurusingha was at the training of the Test team in Mirpur today where he was probably later informed by someone over the phone of his suspension. Photo: Firoz Ahmed

Once Faruque, a staunch critic of Hathurusinghs, took over as the BCB boss, it seemed like a matter of time before the Sri Lankan would be sent packing.

Right on cue, Bangladesh pulled off a historic 2-0 sweep in the Test series over Pakistan to force the BCB honcho to hit a pause on that plan. But after the Tigers got mauled by India in Tests and T20Is, time finally ran out for the Sri Lankan.

Hathurusingha's earlier stint as the Bangladesh head coach had run from 2014 to 2017, where the Tigers reached the quarterfinal of the ODI World Cup for the first time in 2015, reached the semifinal of the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy and won home series against India, Pakistan and South Africa in 2015.