Wanindu Hasaranga suspended by ICC, to miss Test series against Bangladesh
Dubai, Mar 19: All-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga could be unavailable for initial few games for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League after he was suspended from the upcoming two-Test series against Bangladesh by the ICC, despite coming out of retirement on Tuesday.
Hasaranga, who had retired from Tests in August last year, was named in Sri Lanka's 17-man squad for the two-Test series against Bangladesh starting on Friday.
But the ICC informed that the 26-year-old has 'breached the threshold of eight demerit points, which, pursuant to article 7.6 of the Code, have been converted into four suspension points' in his latest offence during the third ODI.
"Hasaranga was found guilty of breaching article 2.8 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to 'showing dissent at an Umpire's decision during an International Match'," the ICC said on its website.
The incident happened in the 37th over when the right-arm spinner "snatched his cap" from one of the on-field umpires and also "ridiculed" the umpiring in the contest, the ICC said.
"He received a 50 per cent fine and accumulated three demerit points for his offense. This brought his total demerit points to eight in a 24-month period," the ICC said.
Hasaranga already had five demerit points three of which were docked in the third T20I against Afghanistan in Dambulla last month. He was also suspended for two T20Is against Bangladesh.
"Now, with the addition of the latest demerit points, he has breached the threshold of eight demerit points, which, pursuant to article 7.6 of the Code, have been converted into four suspension points," the ICC said.
"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," the governing body added.
Meanwhile, ICC also handed a 50 per cent match fee fine and three demerit points on Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis for "abusing the umpires while shaking hands with them".
"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 a first offence for Mendis in a 24-month period," the ICC said.
Both the players admitted their offences and accepted the sanctions which were imposed by Andy Pycroft.
The first Test will be played in Sylhet from March 22-26, while the second tie is slated from March 30 to April 3 at Chattogram.
Hasaranga was roped in by SRH at his base price of Rs 1.5 crore.
As per the IPL schedule announced for the first two weeks, SRH will take on Kolkata Knight Riders on March 23 in Kolkata. They will travel to Hyderabad for the tie against Mumbai Indians on March 27 and then proceed to Ahmedabad for the game against Gujarat Titans on March 31.
A big loss for Sri Lanka as star all-rounder is suspended for the #BANvSL Test series 👀
— ICC (@ICC) March 19, 2024
Details ⬇#WTC25https://t.co/CMmQZj3616
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PIL in SC seeking action against racial violence targeting northeastern citizens
New Delhi (PTI): A PIL was filed in the Supreme Court seeking judicial intervention to address the "continuing constitutional failure" to prevent and respond to racial discrimination and violence against citizens from northeastern states and other frontier regions.
The PIL was filed on December 28 in the backdrop of the brutal killing of Anjel Chakma, a 24-year-old MBA student from Tripura, who succumbed on December 27 to grievous injuries sustained in a racially motivated attack in Selaqui area of Dehradun.
Anjel from Unakoti district's Machmara went to Dehradun after completing his graduation in Holy Cross School, Agartala, to pursue MBA, where he was stabbed to death in the presence of his younger brother Michael.
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The family members of Chakma want capital punishment or at least life imprisonment for all the accused involved in the incident. Anoop Prakash Awasthi, a Delhi-based lawyer, has made the Centre and all the states and Union territories as parties to the PIL.
"That the present writ petition is being filed seeking issuance of writ under Article 32 of the Constitution seeking issuance of writ in the nature of mandamus, order, direction or any other appropriate writ for the violation of fundamental rights as under article 14, 19 (1) a & (g) and 21, and thus seeking judicial intervention to address the issue of racial discrimination and violence against Indian citizens from the north-eastern states and other frontier regions of India," the plea said.
"We are Indians. What certificate should we show to prove that?" words that tragically became the last recorded assertion of Anjel Chakma about his constitutional belonging before the confrontation escalated into brutal violence, it said while recounting the offence leading to his death.
The plea referred to media reports about Chakma's death.
The attackers allegedly assaulted and stabbed both brothers and Chakma sustained severe injuries to his neck and spine, remained unconscious throughout his treatment, and died after more than fourteen days in intensive medical care, it said, adding his death triggered widespread anguish, protests, and demands for justice across the country.
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"Issue an appropriate writ (ad interim till a legislation is made) in the nature of formulating comprehensive guidelines, recognising 'racial slur' as a separate category of hate crimes and determining punishment for the same," the plea said.
It sought a direction to the Centre and the states to create a "nodal agency or a permanent body or commission or directorate" at the central level as well as at the level of each state where such racial crimes can be reported and redressed.
"Direct the respondents at central level as well as at the level of each state to make and create a dedicated special police unit in each district/metropolitan area to address the racial crimes," it said.
The plea sought a direction to the Centre and the states to organise "workshops and debates at educational institutes on the issue of prevailing racial discrimination and ways to redress the same".
The petition said that despite the unmistakable hate-based and racial motivation behind the crime, India's criminal justice system lacks any mechanism to recognise or record racial bias at the initial stage of investigation.
As a result, such offences are treated as ordinary crimes, "erasing motive, diluting constitutional gravity, and perpetuating a pattern of impunity", it said.
The plea said that the killing of Chakma is not an isolated incident but part of a long-standing pattern of racial abuse and violence against citizens from the northeastern states.
The petition recalls earlier cases, including the death of Nido Taniam in 2014 and numerous assaults on students and workers in metropolitan cities, incidents that have been formally acknowledged by the Centre in parliamentary replies but, according to the petitioner, remain unaddressed through any dedicated legislative or institutional framework.
