Hasaranga suspended for Bangladesh Tests after ending retirement, Mushfiqur out with injury

During the third and final ODI, Hasaranga was found guilty of breaching rules related to ‘showing dissent at an umpire’s decision’

Sri Lanka all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga has been found guilty of a Code of Conduct breach shortly after he announced a return to Test cricket.

The all-rounder has been suspended for the two-Test series against Bangladesh. He retired from the Test format last year.

Bangladesh have also suffered a blow with veteran Mushfiqur Rahim ruled out with injury.

During the third ODI in the recently-concluded series against Bangladesh, Hasaranga was found guilty of breaching rules related to “showing dissent at an umpire’s decision’, the International Cricket Council said on Tuesday.

The incident occurred in the 37th over of the game when Hasaranga snatched his cap from one of the umpires and ridiculed the umpiring in the match.

Bangladesh took the series 2-1 after winning the contest by four wickets.

The ICC handed him a 50 percent fine and three demerit points for his offence. This brought his total demerit points to eight in a 24-month period.

The all-rounder was already on five demerit points after receiving three demerit points during the third T20 against Afghanistan in Dambulla last month and he could not play in two games of the T20 series against Bangladesh.

Now, with the addition of the latest demerit points, he has breached the threshold of eight demerit points, which, pursuant to article 7.6 of the Code, have been converted into four suspension points.

The four suspension points equate to a ban from two Tests or four ODIs or T20Is, whatever comes first – Hasaranga will therefore miss the two ICC World Test Championship Tests against Bangladesh.

Sri Lanka’s ODI skipper Kusal Mendis also copped a 50 percent fine and three demerit points for a Level-2 offence after he abused umpires while shaking hands with them at one point of a match against Bangladesh.

Both Hasaranga and Mendis admitted their offences and accepted the sanctions proposed by Andy Pycroft of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees.

For Bangladesh, Mushfiqur played a vital 37-run unbeaten innings in the successful chase against Sri Lanka in the final ODI.

Earlier, the wicketkeeper-batsman hurt his right thumb while stopping a Taskin Ahmed delivery behind the stumps in the second over of the match.

He continued play after receiving first-aid, but tests after the match confirmed a crack in his thumb, Bangladesh Cricket Board said on Tuesday.

Physio Bayejidul Islam said Mushfiqur would be out for three to four weeks for recovery.