Pakistan have been docked 11 World Test Championship points and fined 50 per cent of their match fees for maintaining a slow over-rate during the third and final Test against England at Edgbaston.
Pakistan were found to be 11 overs short of the required rate after time allowances were taken into account. The sanction was imposed by ICC Elite Panel match referee Ranjan Madugalle after charges were brought by the four match officials.
Under Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct, players are fined five percent of their match fee for every over their team falls short of the required rate, with the penalty capped at 50 percent. Pakistan’s 11-over shortfall therefore resulted in the maximum fine for the players.
The WTC has a separate penalty for slow over-rates, with teams losing one championship point for every over they are found to be short. Pakistan have consequently lost 11 points from their WTC tally, further damaging a campaign that was already struggling.
The deduction leaves Pakistan ninth and last in the WTC standings, with their points percentage falling to 4.63.
The punishment comes after England completed an eight-wicket victory at Edgbaston to sweep the three-Test series 3-0. Pakistan had already suffered heavy defeats in the opening two matches, losing the first Test at Headingley by an innings and 103 runs before England won by 194 runs at Lord’s.
The tour had been marked by major upheaval in Pakistan’s camp. Following the Lord’s defeat, the PCB released seven players from the squad, including Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq and Salman Ali Agha. Head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were also removed.
Mike Hesson, previously Pakistan’s white-ball coach, took charge of the Test side for Edgbaston, with Ashley Noffke joining him as bowling coach. Seven replacements were brought into the squad, including five uncapped players, but the changes failed to prevent another defeat.
Hesson later said the decision to send players home had been taken before he was appointed to lead the Test side.
Pakistan will next play in the WTC in November when they host Sri Lanka in a two-Test series in Rawalpindi and Lahore. With their points percentage now down to 4.63, they have little margin for further setbacks.
