Bangladesh have dismissed men’s head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe, citing “misconduct” and a “breach of employment terms.”

In a statement, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed that Hathurusinghe was notified on Tuesday. After reviewing his response on Wednesday, an emergency board meeting was convened, resulting in the immediate termination of his contract.

Local media report that a player alleged Hathurusinghe slapped him during the 2023 World Cup in India.

On Thursday, the BCB issued a statement saying: “After considering all factors, the Board found Hathurusinghe’s explanation unsatisfactory and determined that his actions amounted to misconduct and dereliction of duty.”

AFP and India-based media outlet Cricbuzz reported that BCB president Faruque Ahmed said at a news conference: “I was disturbed when I first read about the incident in the newspapers. I am not here to defend anyone, but things can happen in the heat of the moment. However, hitting a national player is unacceptable. This is the correct action, and it should have happened earlier.”

The BBC has reached out to the BCB but has not yet been able to verify the allegation against Hathurusinghe.