Bangladesh will go into the 3rd ODI against Sri Lanka without their star all-rounder after the Bangladesh Cricket Board suspended Shakib Al Hasan for three matches following a rude gesture.
Where to Watch Live
The game is scheduled for a 1 pm local time (12.30 pm IST) start with live coverage on Neo Prime and Bangladesh Television in India and Bangladesh respectively. The match can be watched via live streaming online in the UK HERE, while US viewers can live stream the action HERE.
Apart from the third and final one-day international, which is essentially a dead rubber following Sri Lanka's victories in the first two one-dayers, Shakib will also miss Bangladesh's first two Asia Cup matches - against India and Afghanistan.
"Bangladesh cricketer Shakib Al Hasan has been penalised for breaching the BCB Code of Conduct," BCB said in a statement on Friday. "Shakib appeared at a disciplinary hearing of the BCB today and admitted the offence and accepted responsibility for the act."
Shakib seemed to gesture towards his crotch as the camera panned towards the Bangladesh dressing room with the commentators discussing the player's dismissal in the second ODI against Sri Lanka. The pictures were shown on the big screen at the ground as well as broadcasted live, leading to BCB having to take some form of action.
"Shakib was repentant for the incident and readily accepted that the behaviour was unbecoming of a player of his experience and stature," BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury said. "We also reminded him that his action was unacceptable."
The all-rounder's absence will not be felt for the third one-day international in Mirpur on Saturday, with Sri Lanka grabbing a narrow victory in the first ODI, before easing to a 61-run result in the next match to wrap up the series.
Coach Shane Jurgensen insisted his side are not pressing the panic button as yet, with a huge couple of months awaiting the country, with Bangladesh hosting the Asia Cup and then the World T20.
"I think our one-day form has been outstanding previous to this series," Jurgensen said. "Here we have lost two matches in a row. There seems to be a lot of people outside the group who are panicking but I am not panicking at all.
"We were in a good position in the last game, but we couldn't finish it off. It was the same in both games.
"If we can tidy things up a little bit, we can get the result we want. It is a good thing that there is a quick turnaround, there isn't a big break between matches. All the boys are physically good too."
Sri Lanka picked up a victory in the 2nd ODI thanks largely to a brilliant century from Kumar Sangakkara, whose 115-ball 128 took the game away from Bangladesh.
"He always comes to the party when the big occasions arise and he showed his class once again," Sri Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews said of Sangakkara.
"We were in a spot of bother early on losing three early wickets but the veteran scored a brilliant hundred."
If Sangakkara fires again, then Sri Lanka can expect a clean sweep in the ODIs, but Bangladesh, looking to rally around following the loss of Shakib, will, obviously, have other plans.
