News by “Sana Ullah”
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has firmly denied any exploitation of technicalities to ensure the participation of star all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024 matches.
Hasaranga, after the third ODI against Bangladesh, reversed his decision to retire from Test cricket and was subsequently included in the Sri Lanka squad for the Test series against the same opponent.
However, the International Cricket Council (ICC) imposed a two-match ban on him for breaching the ICC’s Code of Conduct during the third ODI, thereby ruling him out of the Test series set to commence on March 22.
Hasaranga incurred a 50 per cent fine and accumulated three demerit points for his offense, pushing his total demerit points to eight within 24 months.
The all-rounder already had five demerit points, having received three demerit points in the third T20I against Afghanistan in Dambulla last month.
With the addition of the latest demerit points, he crossed the threshold of eight demerit points, leading to their conversion into four suspension points as per article 7.6 of the Code. These four suspension points translate to a ban from either two Tests, four ODIs, or T20Is, whichever comes first.
Although Hasaranga was initially named in Sri Lanka’s Test squad after reversing his retirement, the ban rendered him ineligible for two Test matches. However, he would have otherwise missed four T20Is in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.
This sequence of events prompted speculation within cricketing circles about Hasaranga’s retirement reversal being strategic to avoid missing crucial matches in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.
In response, SLC clarified that Hasaranga had communicated his desire to return to Test cricket before the third ODI against Bangladesh, citing improved fitness.
“It was about two weeks ago that he told us he was open to playing Tests again,” stated Ajantha Mendis, a member of Sri Lanka’s selection committee, in an interview with ESPNcricinfo.
“We understand the optics, but this decision was made well before the final ODI.”
