• Home
  • Cricket News
  • Bangladesh Sack Head Coach On Disciplinary Grounds Faces Allegations Of Slapping A Player

Bangladesh Sack Head Coach On Disciplinary Grounds; Faces Allegations Of Slapping A Player

Bangladesh Head Coach Sacked - (Source: @ShamimSports/X.com)Bangladesh Head Coach Sacked - (Source: @ShamimSports/X.com)

In a shocking development, Bangladesh have suspended their head coach, Chandika Hathurusingha, on disciplinary grounds. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) did not reveal the details of the offence committed by Chandika, but BCB president Faruque Ahmed confirmed his sacking. 

According to report from Freepress Journal, Chandika has been alleged of slapping a player during 2023 World Cup. However, the merit behind this news cannot be confirmed.

Bangladesh Sign Phil Simmons As Interim Head Coach

The board revealed that they have terminated Hathurusingha's contract with immediate effect. Further, BCB revealed that they have roped in Phil Simmons as interim head coach and will guide the side till the Champions Trophy 2025. 

BCB has issued a show-cause notice to Chandika Hathurusinghe and given him just 48 hours to respond to the notice. 

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

A Look At Hathurusingha's Stint With Bangladesh

It was Hathurusingha's second stint with Bangladesh as their head coach, Hathurusinghe's earlier stint as the Bangladesh head coach had run from 2014 to 2017, when 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.

During his second term, Bangladesh suffered early exits from the T20 World Cup and the fifty-over World Cup. However, he recently experienced the best moment of his coaching career with Bangladesh after The Tigers beat Pakistan 2-0. 

Recently, Hathurusingha and Bangladesh were under heavy criticism after they suffered an embarrassing defeat against India in the recently concluded red-ball and white-ball tour.