Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan and reserve player Nurul Hasan Shohan have been fined 25 per cent of their match fees for separate incidents during the last league match of the Nidahas Trophy Tri-nation T20I cricket against Sri Lanka at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Friday.
Both players have also received one demerit point each for breaching Level 1 of the ICC code of conduct in addition to fine, but they escaped heavy punishment like suspension.
Tigers stormed into the final in the Nidahas Trophy eliminating hosts Sri Lanka by two wickets in the much talked about and nail-biting last league match on Friday with one ball remaining to play their giant rivals India in the final on Sunday (March 18) at the same venue.
In the final over of that tense-packed chase, Shakib gestured towards the Bangladesh batsmen cum recent past interim captain Mahmudullah Riyad and Rubel Hossain to come off the field from the boundary line while they remonstrating against an umpiring decision.
Shakib was found to have indulged in conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game.
Nurul was seen arguing with Sri Lankan captain Thisara Perera after he was sent by the team on to the field of play to pass on a message to the two batsmen. He was found guilty of violating Article 2.1.2, which deals with “conduct that brings the game into disrepute”.
This was the first time that two players had picked up a demerit point since the system came into effect on 22 September 2016.
Both Shakib and Nurul Hasan pleaded guilty to the offences on Saturday morning and accepted the sanctions proposed by match referee Chris Broad and, as such, there was no need for a formal hearing.
“Friday’s incidents were disappointing as you don’t want to see such player behavior during any level of cricket,” Broad said in a statement. “I understand that it was a tense and an edge-of-the-seat match with place in the final on the line, but the actions of the two players were unacceptable and cannot be condoned as they clearly went overboard. Had the fourth umpire not stopped Shakib and the fielders remonstrating, and then the on-field umpires not intervened between Nurul and Thisara, things could have become worse.”
The charges were levelled by on-field umpires Raveendra Wimalasiri and Ruchira Palliyaguruge, third umpire Ranmore Martinesz and fourth umpire Lyndon Hannibal.
