COLOMBO: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Saturday fined Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan over his aggressive behaviour during a thrilling T20 Inter­national against Sri Lanka.

The sport’s world governing body said Shakib pleaded guilty to the charge of “conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game” at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Friday. He was also awarded a demerit point.

Bangladesh beat Sri Lanka by two wickets in the ill-tempered match to reach the final of the tri-nation tournament.

The incident involving Shakib took place after the second ball of the final over of the Bangladesh innings when he came to the edge of the boundary and asked his batsmen to come off the field.

The Bangladesh team alleged that the square-leg umpire had signalled a no-ball and then changed his decision, prompting Shakib to call the batsmen back to the pavilion.

Reserve player Nurul Hasan, who was sent on to the field with a message from the Bangladesh dressing room, was also involved in a spat with Sri Lankan skipper Thisara Perera.

Nurul also pleaded guilty to unruly behaviour and was also fined 25 per cent of his match fee and awarded one demerit point.

ICC match referee Chris Broad said Friday’s incidents were disappointing, and the penalties were imposed without a formal hearing because the players did not contest the charges.

“I understand that it was... tense and an edge-of-the-seat match with a 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,” Broad said.

“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 had led protests against the umpires when the second ball of the final over was deemed legitimate despite Sri Lanka’s Isuru Udana bowling two bouncers.

A bowler can bowl only one bouncer — above shoulder height to the batsman — in limited-overs cricket, but the decision lies with the umpire.

Needing 12 to win off the last six balls, Mustafizur Rahman was run out on the second delivery and there was pandemonium when Shakib gestured to his batsmen to come off the field.

The batsmen stayed put, however, and Mahmudullah steered the Tigers to a thrilling win with a six off the penultimate ball.

Bangladesh will face India in the final of the tri-series, which has been organised to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Sri Lanka’s independence from Britain.

Published in Dawn, March 18th, 2018