ICC Fines Pakistan and Sri Lanka for Slow Over-Rates in Tri-Series Opener, Pakistan Docked 10 Percent of Match Fee, Sri Lanka Five

RAWALPINDI: The win still stands, but slow over-rate fines have followed both teams out of the tri-series opener. The International Cricket Council has fined Pakistan 10 percent of their match fee and Sri Lanka five percent after neither side got through its overs in the allotted time on Sunday.

Who imposed the fines, and why?

Match referee Jeff Crowe handed down the sanctions. Pakistan were ruled to be two overs short and Sri Lanka one over short, even after time allowances were taken into consideration. Under Article 2.22 of the ICC code of conduct, players are fined five percent of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in time — which is why Pakistan’s two missing overs cost them double. The charges were levelled by on-field umpires Asif Yaqoob and Wayne Knights, third umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid and fourth umpire Faisal Afridi.

How did the captains respond?

Neither fought it. Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi and Sri Lanka’s Kusal Mendis pleaded guilty and accepted the proposed sanctions, so no formal hearings were needed and the matter closed quickly.

The match behind the fines

In the game itself, Pakistan had posted 305 on the back of Salman Ali Agha’s 107 off 90 balls, then bowled Sri Lanka out for 268 to win by 37 runs. Pakistan now meet England on Tuesday at the same Rawalpindi ground, and both sides go into the rest of the series with a plain reminder attached to the win and the loss alike: in this format, the clock is part of the contest.