Web Desk: Pakistan and Sri Lanka have been fined for maintaining slow over-rates during the opening match of the Pakistan ODI Tri-Series, with the hosts receiving a penalty twice as large as that imposed on the visitors.
Pakistan were fined 10% of their players’ match fees after falling two overs behind the required rate, while Sri Lanka received a 5% fine for being one over short, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said.
The match took place in Rawalpindi on Sunday, with the penalties imposed after allowances for time lost were taken into account.
Jeff Crowe, a member of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, imposed the penalties under Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which governs minimum over-rate offences.
Under the rules, players face a fine of 5% of their match fee for every over their team fails to bowl within the allotted time.
Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi and Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis pleaded guilty to the charges and accepted the proposed sanctions. Consequently, the ICC did not need to hold formal hearings.
The charges were brought by on-field umpires Asif Yaqoob and Wayne Knights, third umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, and fourth umpire Faisal Afridi.
The penalties mark a disciplinary setback for both sides at the start of the tri-series, as teams remain responsible for maintaining the required pace of play under ICC regulations.
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