Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has suspended head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe for disciplinary reasons. The suspension, effective immediately, will last for 48 hours, after which Hathurusinghe will be “terminated immediately.” Phil Simmons will assume the role of interim head coach until the 2025 Champions Trophy.
Hathurusinghe’s second stint as Bangladesh coach began in February 2022, eliciting mixed reactions from former captains, including current BCB president Faruque Ahmed, who questioned the decision to reappoint him.
Under Hathurusinghe’s leadership, Bangladesh’s performances in the 2023 ODI World Cup and 2024 T20 World Cup were underwhelming. However, he guided the team to a historic 2-0 Test series victory against Pakistan in Pakistan, their first overseas Test series win in 15 years.
Despite this achievement, Bangladesh’s subsequent tour of India resulted in a 2-0 Test series loss and a 3-0 T20I series loss, including a record-breaking defeat in the third match.
Hathurusinghe’s suspension comes amid growing criticism of his coaching methods and the team’s recent performances. The BCB has not yet disclosed the specific disciplinary grounds for his suspension.
