Hathurusingha denies allegations in written statement as BCB ends his tenure

Chandika Hathurusingha has categorically denied the allegations of misconduct that led to his dismissal as the head coach of the Bangladesh national cricket team.

In a written statement sent to The Business Standard (TBS), Hathurusingha refuted claims of assaulting left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed during the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup and rejected accusations regarding taking excessive leave without permission. Despite his defense, Hathurusingha's second stint as head coach has officially come to an end, with West Indian coach Phil Simmons appointed to replace him on an interim basis.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced Hathurusingha's dismissal earlier this week, citing both disciplinary issues and contractual violations.

BCB President Faruque Ahmed revealed that the board had issued Hathurusingha a show-cause notice before suspending him for 48 hours, during which the formal termination process was initiated. "Before terminating him, we followed the procedure and issued a show-cause notice. He's been suspended for 48 hours, and after that, we'll proceed with the termination," Faruque said during the press conference on Tuesday. The key reason for Hathurusingha's removal stemmed from allegations that he had physically mistreated Nasum Ahmed during the World Cup in India. "You can never physically harm a national team player. The consequence is what we are seeing now," Faruque added.

Hathurusingha's statement strongly contested these claims. He questioned the legitimacy of the accusations, noting that the alleged incident was said to have taken place in a highly monitored area. "The alleged incident purportedly occurred in the players' dugout or dressing room, a location that is under constant surveillance during World Cup matches. With over 40 to 50 cameras capturing every moment of the game, I didn't get an opportunity to cross-examine the accuser nor any witness, if at all there was one," Hathurusingha stated.

He also pointed out the delayed timing of the accusations, stating that it was surprising the player involved hadn't reported the incident immediately. "If the incident was as serious as claimed, it is perplexing that the player did not report the incident to the team manager or any authority immediately following the alleged event. If a complaint was made, I wonder why I was not questioned or approached for my side of the story at that time," he said, suggesting that the allegations seemed to have been fabricated months later by an individual on YouTube.

Addressing the claims about taking excessive leave, Hathurusingha explained that he had always sought and received approval from the BCB for any leave he took. "At no time did the BCB tell me they were unhappy with my leave situation. Every time I asked for leave, it was granted by the BCB. I never went on leave without their authorisation," Hathurusingha clarified. He further argued that public holidays, such as Eid, and Fridays, which are official rest days in Bangladesh, were not accounted for in the accusations against him. "As I understand it, according to Bangladesh labour law, I am entitled to 'time in lieu' for work done on Fridays. Additionally, as a BCB employee, I am entitled to leave on Fridays and a half-day off on Thursdays," he added.

Hathurusingha also pointed out that it is a common practice for foreign coaches to take leave during the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), and such leave should not have been counted as additional time off. He voiced concerns about the motives behind his dismissal, particularly highlighting how, on the first day of the new BCB president's term, there were public statements about removing him as head coach. "The combination of these allegations, the swift appointment of a new head coach, and the apparent lack of due process raises significant concerns about the motivation of the new management and the treatment of employees within the BCB," Hathurusingha stated. He went on to say that he had been advised to leave Bangladesh on security grounds due to the nature of the accusations.

Despite his defense, the BCB has moved forward with appointing Phil Simmons as the interim head coach. Simmons, a veteran coach, will lead Bangladesh until the ICC Champions Trophy, scheduled to take place in Pakistan in February 2024.

Hathurusingha's two terms as Bangladesh's head coach have seen mixed results. His first tenure, from 2014 to 2017, was notably successful, with Bangladesh recording their first-ever ODI series wins over Pakistan, India, and South Africa. Under his guidance, Bangladesh also reached the quarter-finals of the 2015 World Cup and the semi-finals of the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy. However, his second term, which began in 2023, was less fruitful. The team struggled during the 2023 ODI World Cup and the 2024 T20 World Cup, and his record in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is during this period was marked by underperformance.

As Hathurusingha contests the allegations, it remains to be seen whether any further action will be taken, but for now, his tenure as Bangladesh's head coach has officially ended.