Shakib Al Hasan, Nurul Hasan receive punishment for breaching ICC Code of Conduct

Shakib Al Hasan and Nurul Hasan have been punished by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for their unacceptable behaviour during the Bangladesh-Sri Lanka encounter in the Nidahas T20 tri-series on Friday.

Both Bangladeshi players have been fined 25 per cent of their match fees besides receiving one demerit point. 

"Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan and reserve player Nurul Hasan have both been fined 25 per cent of their match fees and also received one demerit point for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct in separate incidents during their side's Twenty20 International against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Friday," an ICC release said on Saturday.

"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.

"The incident involving Shakib happened in the 20th over of the Bangladesh innings when he came to the edge of the boundary and gestured at his batsmen to come off the field while remonstrating against an umpiring decision. As regards Nurul, the reserve player argued and pointed finger at Sri Lanka captain Thisara Perera which led to unruly public behaviour after he was sent by the team on to the field of play to pass on a message to the two batsmen."

Announcing his decision, Chris Broad of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees, said: “Friday’s incidents were disappointing as you don’t want to see such player behavior during any level of cricket. I understand that it was a tense and an edge-of-the-seat match with place in the final on the line, but the actions of the two players were unacceptable and cannot be condoned as they clearly went overboard. Had the fourth umpire not stopped Shakib and the fielders remonstrating, and then the on-field umpires not intervened between Nurul and Thisara, things could have become worse."

Shakib wasn't part of the Bangladeshi squad at the start of the tri-series on account of a finger injury and Mahmudullah captained the team in his absence. He returned to the team only the day before Friday's encounter and returned 1/9 in his two overs before scoring 7 off nine balls. The final of the tri-series will be played on Sunday between India and Bangladesh.