Chandika Hathurusingha was removed as Bangladesh team head coach by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). Hathurusingha was in his second stint as Bangladesh team head coach, having previously led the side in 2014-17.
Chandika Hathurusingha’s dismissal was somewhat predicted after the new BCB president took over for the outgoing president, Nazmul Hassan.
Hassan, a Member of Parliament for Bangladesh’s Awami League Party, was forced to depart the nation to safeguard his life after the Awami League administration collapsed due to the country’s ongoing political crisis.
Chandika Hathurusingha sacked a Bangladesh coach; Phil Simmons to take over
Faruque Ahmed, BCB president, explained the reasons behind Chandika Hathurusingha’s suspension. He said that the head coach was found guilty of an alleged attack on a player as well as taking an excessive number of leaves throughout his tenure.
“Chandika Hathurusingha has two counts of misconduct, The First is about an assault on a player. Secondly, he took too many leaves, more than what was in his contract,” Faruque Ahmed said to the reporters in the press conference.
The wrongdoing involving a player occurred during the ODI World Cup 2023 in India last year. Hathurusingha is accused of hitting a player during a drinks break during the New Zealand-Bangladesh match in Chennai.
It is believed that the player was assigned the responsibility of providing drinks to the hitters at the crease, but he was unaware that the break had begun, causing a delay. Chandika Hathurusingha, who appeared to be upset with the player, hit him, causing all of the pandemonium.
Faruque Ahmed also told reporters that Chandika Hathurusingha had violated the BCB’s code of conduct by taking an excessive number of leave days. Hathurusingha’s contract requires him to take 45 leaves per year, yet he took 112 in 2023 and has already taken 59 in 2024.
Chandika Hathurusingha has received a 48-hour notice period. Nizamuddin Chowdhury, the BCB’s chief executive, delivered him the termination notice at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka.
After consulting with several coaches, the BCB chose Phil Simmons as Bangladesh’s next head coach. Faruque Ahmed discussed his term and past teams.
Faruque Ahmed revealed that Simmons will be the interim head coach until the Champions Trophy in 2025, and he has coaching expertise in numerous T20 leagues around the world.
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