Nidahas Trophy: Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan fined after 6th T20I controversy
Shakib Al Hasan was involved in a heated exchange with the umpires and match officials in the last over of the 6th T20I between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
In Short
- Bangladesh and Sri Lankan players were involved in a heated exchange in the final over of the 6th T20I
- Shakib even asked his his batsmen to walk off the field in the final over with Bangladesh needing 12 from 4 balls
- The match resumed after the incident as Bangladesh beat Sri Lanka by 2 wickets with 1 ball remaining
Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan has been fined 25 percent of his match fees and has also received one demerit point for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct following the final over incident in the 6th T20I between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in Colombo.
Substitute fielder Nurul Hasan has also received the same amount of fine and one demerit point for his involvement in the controversy as well.
Shakib was found to have breached Article 2.1.1 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to "conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game", while Nurul was found guilty of violating Article 2.1.2, which deals with "conduct that brings the game into disrepute".
Nidahas Trophy: Bangladesh threatened to forfeit match after final over controversy vs SL
This was the first time one demerit point either player has had since the system came into effect on 22 September 2016.
Both Shakib and Nurul pleaded guilty to the offences and accepted the sanctions proposed by Chris Broad of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees and, as such, there was no need for a formal hearing.
The charges were levelled by on-field umpires Raveendra Wimalasiri and Ruchira Palliyaguruge, third umpire Ranmore Martinesz and fourth umpire Lyndon Hannibal.
High drama unfolded in the last over of the virtual semi-final between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Friday.
Nidahas Trophy, Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh: Push, shove and fury in ugly last over drama
Bangladesh were chasing 160 for victory in the do-or-die match and needed 12 runs in the last over to knock Sri Lanka out of the competition.
That's when Isuru Udana bowled a couple of head-high bouncers, the second of which was called a no-ball by the square leg umpire before he changed his decision and that's when Shakib lost his cool and came out on the boundary line to protest.
Nidahas Trophy: Sanjay Manjrekar 'not impressed' with Shakib Al Hasan's behaviour
He even gestured the batsmen - Mahmudullah and Rubel Hossain - to walk off the field and forfeit the match, which would have disqualified them from the tri-series and Sri Lanka would have sealed their place in the final.
The whole team gathered on the boundary line and protested with Shakib, while the players on the field were also involved in heated arguments.
Sri Lanka opener Upul Tharanga even pushed a Bangladeshi substitute fielder Nurul Hasan as he was serving water to Mahmudullah and Rubel. It was later reported that Bangladeshi players also broke the glass door in their dressing room after which the Bangladesh Cricket Board offered to pay for the damages.
Better sense finally prevailed after the Bangladesh support staff, led by coach Courtney Walsh, asked the players to resume the match while Shakib was told to return to the dressing room.
Mahmudullah smashed the next ball for a boundary. He followed it up with a couple of runs off the next ball.
Udana then made the mistake of bowling the fifth ball full on Mahmudullah's leg stump who picked it off his pads and dismissed it over deep square leg for a maximum, leading to massive celebrations in the Bangladesh camp.
Mahmudullah, who stood in as captain for Bangladesh in the absence of Shakib in the previous two games, remained unbeaten on 43 from 18 balls with three fours and two sixes as Bangladesh reached the target with 2 wickets and 1 ball to spare and set up the final of the tri-series against India on Sunday (March 18).
The Bangladesh skipper said at the post-match presentation ceremony that he needs to be more careful as the leader of his side.
"You can't expect more than that in a T20 game, so much excitement, emotion. Credit goes to SL, losing five early wickets. We kept our nerves in the end. I knew I was not 100% as far as batting is concerned. We always had healthy competition in the ground, but outside, we are friends. Emotions take over, I need to be careful as a leader of a team, I will be careful next time," Shakib said.