Just In | ICC Fines India For Slow Over Rate In Centurion Test

image-lqqax3pcSouth Africa crushed India in the 1st Test [AP]

India had salt rubbed into their wounds on top of a disastrous innings loss in the Boxing Day Test against South Africa as they were found guilty of an over-rate breach in Centurion by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday (December 29). 

Despite a three-day finish, the ICC fined India for breaching the over-rate regulations as the visitors were found short of the stipulated time in delivering 108.4 overs in their only bowling effort for the Test match versus the Proteas, who hammered 408 all out either side of opposition's horrific 245 & 131 all out. 

The governing body slashed 10% of the Indian match fee and, more critically, took two points out of India's tally before the latest World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 fixture. 

The penalty meant that the Rohit Sharma-led side, who were placed at the top of the nine-team league table before the series, slipped to the fifth spot with a solitary win in three matches and only 44.44 per cent of contested points won. 


India Fined For Slow Over Rate 

Since Indian captain Rohit Sharma pled guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, there was no requirement for a legal hearing in the matter as India paid the prize for continuing too long with their four-pronged pace battery and gave sole spinner Ravichandran Ashwin only 19 overs in the innings. 

"Chris Broad 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," the ICC said in a media statement. 

"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 five per cent 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 playing conditions, a side is penalised one point for each over short. Consequently, two World Test Championship points have been deducted from India’s points total," the statement reads. 

The next Test of the two-match series starts on January 3 in Cape Town.