Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe was suspended by the BCB on disciplinary grounds, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Faruque Ahmed announced it in Mirpur on Tuesday.
The BCB has decided to part ways with Hathurusingha just before Bangladesh’s home series against South Africa to begin from next week (October 21) when BCB has already finalised his replacement.
The Sri Lanka, who had also been served a show-cause notice by the board, and Phil Simmons former West Indies batting allrounder will replace as Tigers’ head coach in an interim period till the 2025 Champions Trophy.
Hathurusingha supposed to continue as head coach untill Champions Trophy 2025 but, there have been huge talking about for last few days whether the Sri Lankan would remain here.
In a press conference on Tuesday at Mirpur, BCB president said, “Hathurusinghe has two counts of misconduct, first is about an assault on a player. Secondly, he took too many leaves, more than what was in his contract.”
“We have served him (Hathurusingha) with an official notice and suspension from duty as head coach today,” Faruque added in the press meet.
About appointing interim coach Faruque said, “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,” the BCB president revealed.
Meanwhile, Hathurusingha returned to Bangladesh after completing the the tour of India, where he guided the team in a two-match Test series and three-match T20 series. But the Tigers saw whitewash in both the formats and his (Hathuru) arrival hasn't been a pleasant, as he lost the job before ending his contract.
The first tenure of Hathurusingha as Bangladesh head coach had run from 2014 to 2017, when the Tigers reached in 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.
As he was reappointed in February 2023 for a second term considering his experiences and understanding of Bangladesh cricket, has been relieved of his duties by the BCB before his contract was set to expire.
Hathurusingha began his second stint in January 2023 with signing a two-year contract and the Tigers had some initial success under his coaching after winning a home T20I series against England and beating Ireland in home and away series' in white-ball formats.
But Hathuru played an insensible role in the Shakib-Tamim flop right before the ODI World Cup, which ended with Tamim was not considered in the Bangladesh squad. Bangladesh finished eighth in the competition that put his fate on thin ice, with many calling for his immediate removal.
Later on Victory in a home Test against New Zealand and then winning an ODI and T20I in the New Zealand tour hold back the Sri Lankan from sack. But his job again looked in jeopardy after the Tigers’ losing a three-match T20I series 2-1 against the USA right before the T20 World Cup. But taking Bangladesh in the Super 12 enough for him to carry on.
Once Faruque, present BCB president was a bold critic of Hathurusinghs, after taking over the charge as the BCB boss, it seemed like a matter of time before the Sri Lankan would be sent packing.
