Wanindu Hasaranga would not be able to feature in the 2-Test series against Bangladesh despite coming out of retirement because of the three demerit points he accumulated in the final ODI against Bangladesh on Monday, March 18.

The 26-year-old already had five demerit points after receiving three demerit points in the third T20I against Afghanistan in Dambulla in February. He was banned from the first two T20Is against Bangladesh for having five demerit points in the last 24 months.   The latest offence took his demerit points to eight. Pursuant to article 7.6 of the Code, the eight demerit points have been converted into four suspension points. The four suspension points equate to a ban from two Tests or four ODIs or T20Is, whatever comes first. Hasaranga will therefore miss the two ICC World Test Championship Tests against Bangladesh. Hasaranga, who announced his retirement from Test in August 2023, was also fined 50 percent of his match fee. The incident happened in the 37th over of the third ODI when the leg-spinner snatched his cap from one of the umpires and ridiculed the umpiring in the match. Bangladesh won the series 2-1 after winning the game by four wickets. Sri Lanka ODI captain Kusal Mendis was also fined 50 percent of his match fee and handed three demerit points for a Level 2 offence after he "abused the umpires while shaking hands with them" at the end of the third match. This breached article 2.13 of the Code, which relates to "Personal abuse of a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire or Match Referee during an International Match." This was the first offence for Mendis in a 24-month period. Both Hasaranga and Mendis admitted their offences and accepted the sanctions proposed by Andy Pycroft of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees. Had Hasaranga featured in the Test series he would have missed out on the starting few matches for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL 2024. He was bought by the franchise at his base price of Rs 1.5 crore in the IPL 2024 auction. Utkarsh Singh Mykhel source: mykhel.com