Sri Lankan coach Chandika Hathurusingha has finally spoken out, months after his shocking resignation as Bangladesh's head coach. What he has to say is nothing short of explosive.

In an exclusive chat with Australia's Code Sport, the former Bangladesh coach said shocking things. He said he was afraid for his life as he left the country because of claims of wrongdoing at the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2023.  He talked about a tense escape that was caused by fear, misunderstanding.

Hathurusingha talked about the last few minutes of his trip before leaving. He said that it was too dangerous to stay in Bangladesh, especially since former BCB president Nazmul Hassan Papon left the country. "The Bangladesh CEO's last words to me was that his advice was I should go. You don't need to tell any of the board people, do you have a ticket to go?' This was a warning sign for me. That's when I got a little bit alarmed," Hathurusingha said.

"Normally I get a driver and a gunman when travelling around in that country. He said, 'did you get your gunman and your driver today?' I said, no, 'I only had the driver’.”

At a nearby bank, where he went to get money for his trip out, things got worse.  At that very moment, breaking news came across the TV screens: he had been sacked and was being charged with hitting a player. “I went straight to the bank, trying to get the money to leave the country. While I was in the bank there was a breaking news story on the TV; 'Chandika sacked. Assaulted a player," he added. "When that came up, the bank manager said, 'coach, I have to come with you. It is not safe for you if people see you on the roads.'

"Now I'm panicking because I need to get out of the country. A friend drove me to the airport for a midnight flight on Singapore Airlines and I'm arriving in a cap and a hoodie and there's no protection,” he added.

With the fall of the autocratic regime in 2024, several associates of the former ruling party were being arrested — which added to Hathurusingha’s fear.

“They could have arrested me at the airport for trying to flee the country. There was a case where an interior minister from the previous Government was trying to flee the country and the plane was stopped on the runway and they kicked him off. All this is going through my mind. Then at the x-ray machine at the entrance, one of the air force officers said to me; 'I'm sorry coach, I'm very sorry that you're going' (gets emotional).I was fearing for my life and he's saying I had done something for their country,” he further said.

The BCB ended Hathurusingha's contract after two charges were brought against him: misconduct with a player and misconduct as an employee.

Later, BCB president Faruque Ahmed said that an internal review had shown that Hathurusingha had hit a player during the 2023 World Cup.  It was also said that the coach took more time off than was allowed by his contract.

Even though he sent an answer to a show-cause notice, the board found it "unsatisfactory" and ended his contract.  Phil Simmons was named as the interim coach and is still in charge. In the interview, the ex-coach insisted he never assaulted any player. "It's everything because this is my career. Now they've ruined my career by bringing allegations rather than giving me an opportunity to defend myself," Hathurusingha said.

"I have never had a fight with a player. I don't show emotion to my players. Maybe I've kicked a dustbin out of sight from frustration - that's happened to any coach. But that's very different to what this is. It's weighing on me. I don't know how many opportunities I've missed from October to now, there has been so many. This is just them trying to end my contract. It was pre-meditated by the new president."

Former assistant coach Nic Pothas and spin coach Rangana Herath, both part of Hathurusingha’s staff, supported him. “That's just me knowing the person. He's a highly, highly experienced international and professional coach. He wouldn't have lasted at that level if he had that in him,” Pothas said.

“I think there's probably a grudge to bear from whoever alleged that. And the person who alleged it probably didn't think it was going to blow up like this, and now that it has, I don't think he's realised what chaos he's caused and how difficult he's made Hathu's life post Bangladesh.

"(Tapping players on the back) happens all the time. Because of the language barriers, you do have to communicate a lot through hand signals.”

Herath added, “I can straight away say that nothing happened. Being a World Cup there were many cameras on him. People can say an incident happened, but there has to be evidence. I strongly say nothing happened like that because I was there. Slapping and tapping are completely different.”