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Sports reporter //

The contract was for two years. Until the Champions Trophy in February next year. But the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has decided to send him off before that. BCB’s new president Farooq Ahmed announced the suspension of Hathurusinghe in an official press conference today.

In a press conference in Mirpur today, Farooq said, “Before the dismissal, we have given him a formal notice of condolence. He has been suspended for 48 hours. Then we will dismiss. Coach Phil Simmons until the Champions Trophy.

The BCB President said that Hathurusinghe is being dismissed mainly for misconduct. In the press conference, he said, ‘Two or three incidents happened, which were actually very painful for me as a former player. Also, it was not a very good example for the team. Considering them, today we issued him a show-cause notice and a letter of resignation.

Hathurusingha was accused of physically assaulting national cricketer Nasum Ahmed during the ODI World Cup in India last year. That incident has a big role behind his dismissal is also clear in Farooq’s words. In response to a question, he said, ‘You can never physically hurt a national team player. Its punishment is what is happening now.

Bangladesh’s two-Test series against South Africa will begin next week. After the tour of India before that series, Hathurusinghe returned to Dhaka with the Bangladesh team last night. But he no longer has to stay in Dhaka.

This was Hathurusingha’s second chapter as the coach of the Bangladesh cricket team. He was the first coach of Bangladesh from May 2014 to October 2017. Seber Hathurusinghe himself resigned as coach. He sent his resignation letter through e-mail in the middle of Bangladesh team’s tour of South Africa. The service had a contract with him till the 2019 World Cup. Hathurusinghe joined as the coach of the Sri Lankan cricket team just a month after leaving Bangladesh.

Farooq Ahmed hinted at removing Hathurusinghe soon after taking charge of BCB. In the second term, Bangladesh played 10 Tests, 35 ODIs and 35 T20Is under Hathuru. Test losses are even – 5 wins and 5 losses. However, results in ODIs were disappointing—13 wins, 19 losses and 3 draws in 35 matches. Bangladesh has won 19 out of 35 T20 matches, lost 15, and failed in one.