Islamabad, Jan 8: In a disappointing turn of events, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has imposed a penalty on Pakistan following their second Test match against South Africa in Cape Town. The Green Shirts were found to be five overs short of the required target, leading to a fine and the loss of five ICC World Test Championship (WTC) points. This sanction comes after the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, led by Richie Richardson, reviewed the situation. Time allowances had already been factored into the calculation, but Pakistan’s over-rate was still deemed unacceptable.
Financial Penalty and WTC Points Deducted
Under Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which addresses violations related to slow over-rates, teams are fined five percent of their match fee for every over missed. In Pakistan’s case, they were fined 25 percent of their match fee due to the five overs missed. Furthermore, the ICC World Test Championship playing conditions, specifically Article 16.11.2, stipulate a one-point deduction for each over missed in a Test match, leading to Pakistan losing five points in the standings. These penalties are an additional setback for Pakistan after their poor performance in the series.
Captain Accepts Sanction
Pakistan’s captain, Shan Masood, admitted guilt to the offence and agreed to the penalty, which meant there was no need for a formal hearing. The charge was laid by the on-field umpires, Kumar Dharmasena and Nitin Menon, along with third umpire Alex Wharf and fourth umpire Stephen Harris.
This comes after a heavy ten-wicket loss for Pakistan in the second Test, leading to a whitewash in the two-match series. The penalty has put a damper on the team’s morale, which was already low after a disappointing tour.
