Bangladesh's head coach Chandika suspended over alleged player assault

Dhaka: The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced the suspension of head coach Chandika Hathurusingha for disciplinary reasons.

The decision comes as a result of serious misconduct allegations, including an assault on a player and excessive absences from training sessions, contrary to the stipulations of his contract.

Hathurusingha, who had returned for a second term as Bangladesh's coach in February 2023, will be suspended for 48 hours before his immediate termination. The BCB has also issued a show-cause notice to him.

In the interim, Phil Simmons, the former West Indies coach, will take over the reins until the 2025 Champions Trophy, scheduled for February.

BCB president Faruque Ahmed addressed the media regarding Hathurusingha's suspension, stating, "Hathurusingha has two counts of misconduct that have led us to this decision. His actions are not in line with the standards we expect from our coaching staff."

Hathurusingha’s tenure, which included a historic 2-0 Test series victory over Pakistan earlier this year, has faced significant scrutiny due to the team's lackluster performances in major tournaments.

Bangladesh's underwhelming showings at the ODI World Cup last year and the recent T20 World Cup co-hosted by the Caribbean and the USA have compounded the criticism of his leadership.

Following a disappointing tour of India, where Bangladesh suffered a 2-0 defeat in Tests and a 3-0 loss in T20Is, calls for change grew louder.