Wanindu Hasaranga Suspension – Sri Lanka’s T20I captain, Wanindu Hasaranga, has found himself in hot water with the International Cricket Council (ICC) following his outburst against umpire Lyndon Hannibal during the third T20I against Afghanistan. The ICC has handed Hasaranga a two-match suspension along with a fine amounting to 50 percent of his match fee for his actions on the field.
Wanindu Hasaranga Suspension – Fined by ICC for Umpire Outburst .
The incident occurred during a crucial juncture in the match when the umpire chose not to call a no-ball for height on a delivery from Afghanistan’s Wafadar Momand to Sri Lankan batsman Kamindu Mendis. With Sri Lanka needing 11 runs off three balls, this decision sparked controversy, ultimately impacting the outcome of the game. Sri Lanka ended up losing the match by a narrow margin of 3 runs.
Hasaranga’s suspension comes as a result of accumulating five demerit points, with three of those points attributed to this particular incident. As per ICC regulations, this accumulation of demerit points warrants a suspension for one Test match, two ODIs, or T20Is, whichever comes first. Consequently, Sri Lanka will be without their captain’s services for the first two T20Is against Bangladesh scheduled for March.
“That kind of thing shouldn’t happen in an international match,” Hasaranga had said, going as far as to reckon that Hannibal ‘isn’t suited to international cricket’. “If it had been close [to waist height], that’s not a problem. But a ball that’s going so high… it would have hit the batsman’s head if it had gone a little higher. If you can’t see that, that umpire isn’t suited to international cricket. It would be much better if he did another job.”
“Hasaranga was found guilty of breaching article 2.13 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “Personal abuse of a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire or Match Referee during an International Match,” the ICC said in a statement.
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In addition to Hasaranga, Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz has also faced disciplinary action from the ICC. Gurbaz has been slapped with one demerit point and fined 15% of his match fee for “disobeying an umpire’s instruction during an international match.” The offense relates to Gurbaz repeatedly altering the grip of his bat on the field despite being cautioned against it by the umpires.
The ICC’s swift action underscores their commitment to upholding the integrity and spirit of the game. It serves as a reminder to players and teams alike of the importance of respecting the decisions made by match officials on the field. As both Sri Lanka and Afghanistan gear up for future fixtures, they will undoubtedly be mindful of adhering to the ICC’s code of conduct to avoid similar repercussions in the future.