COLOMBO: Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza has been suspended for one match for a slow over rate during the third one-day international against Sri Lanka, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said yesterday. This means he will be barred from playing in the first ODI against Ireland at a tri-nations tournament in May.

The right-arm paceman was also fined 40 percent of his match fee, with the other players losing 20 percent of their fees. His team was two overs short of the target during Saturday’s match at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground in Colombo, which Sri Lanka won. The offence was Mortaza’s second within 12 months regarding the over rate, triggering the suspension.

The previous one was in an ODI against New Zealand in Christchurch. According to the ICC Code of Conduct, players are fined 10 percent of their match fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time. It was the second time Mortaza has been banned for a slow over rate since taking over as the ODI skipper in November 2014. —AFP