Birmingham: Hours after losing the rescheduled fifth Test to England by seven wickets on Tuesday, India have been fined 40 percent of their match fees and penalised two ICC World Test Championship points for maintaining a slow over-rate during the match at Edgbaston.
On day five, England knocked off the required 119 runs to chase down a record 378 — their highest-successful run chase in Test history, with Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow sharing a 269-run stand to remain unbeaten 142 and 114 respectively. It meant England levelled the series for the Pataudi Trophy 2-2, denying India a chance to win their first Test series in England since 2007.
“David Boon of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees imposed the sanction after India were ruled to be two overs short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration,” said an official release by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
In accordance with Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to minimum over-rate offences, players are fined 20 percent of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time.
In addition, as per Article 16.11.2 of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) playing conditions, a side is penalised one point for each over short. Consequently, two WTC points have been deducted from India’s points total.
The two points penalty means that India have slipped to the fourth spot in the ICC World Test Championship standings, behind Pakistan, who are now at No. 3. After the points penalty, India are on 75 points with a point percentage of 52.08 percent, just a shade below Pakistan’s points percentage of 52.38 percent.
“India captain Jasprit Bumrah pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing. On-field umpires Aleem Dar and Richard Kettleborough, third umpire Marais Erasmus and fourth umpire Alex Wharf leveled the charge,” added the ICC.
(IANS)
