Dhaka: Bangladesh batsman Sabbir Rahman is in deep trouble once again after news reports emerged that he “physically assaulted” a fan during a first-class match in Chittagong last week. Bangladesh Cricket Board will launch an investigation into this matter with Sabbir facing “heavy punishment” if he is found guilty of the level-4 offence, said media reports.
The incident apparently took place on the second day of Rajshahi Division’s National Cricket League game against Dhaka Metropolis. Media reports state that a fan “made a noise” directed at Sabbir during the innings break after which the cricketer lost his cool. Sabbir then went off the field after taking permission from the umpires and physically assaulted the young boy behind the sight screen.
Reserve umpire saw Sabbir breaking into a scuffle with the fan and reported the matter to the match referee who then told BCB’s cricket operations committee chairman Akram Khan and from there the board’s disciplinary committee was informed. According to reports, Sabbir was also quite “aggressive” with match referee Showkatur Rahman, when he called him in on the third day of the game to investigate the incident.
BCB disciplinary committee’s vice-chairman Sheikh Sohel confirmed that Sabbir would be subjected to heavy punishment if found guilty of the level-4 offence. “We have received the match referee’s report and forwarded it to the disciplinary committee,” BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury told reporters. “Sabbir is being investigated for a level-4 offence and in such cases penalties include multiple-match bans in addition to a fine of Tk 5 lakh,” Chowdhury added.
This is not the first time Sabbir is being investigated by the disciplinary committee. The 26-year-old was fined Tk 12 lakh due to a serious off-field disciplinary breach for entertaining a female guest at the team hotel during the Bangladesh Premier League in 2016.
