The International Cricket Council has decided to impose a two test-match ban on Sri Lanka ODI captain Wanidu Hasarakga for violating the ethics of the match in the third one-day match against Bangladesh.
Wanidu Hasaranga, who had retired from the Test field, announced that he will return to the Test cricket field, and this has been done within a few days. In addition to the ban, he will also be fined 50% of the match fee. Accordingly, he will miss the two-match Test series against Bangladesh. The situation will be a very serious loss for the Sri Lankan team who have lost the ODI series.
During the third ODI in the recently-concluded series against Bangladesh, Hasaranga was found guilty of breaching article 2.8 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “showing dissent at an Umpire’s decision during an International Match.”
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.
He received a 50% fine and accumulated three demerit points for his offense. 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 in the third T20I against Afghanistan in Dambulla last month. Following this, he was suspended for two T20Is 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 ODI skipper Kusal Mendis also copped a 50% fine and three demerit points for a Level 2 offence after he “abused the umpires while shaking hands with them” at the end of the third match.
This breached 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.” This was a first offence for Mendis in a 24-month period.
Both Hasaranga and Mendis admitted their offences and accepted the sanctions proposed by Andy Pycroft of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees.