Pakistan fined and docked 8 points in WTC for slow overrate in Dhaka Test

Pakistan has been fined 40% of its match fee and penalised eight points in the ICC World Test Championship for maintaining a slow overrate during its opening Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka, the ICC said. The sanction was announced on May 15, following Pakistan’s 104-run defeat to the hosts at the Shere Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

According to the ICC, Pakistan was ruled to be eight overs short of the required overrate after time allowances were taken into account. Under Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, the minimum overrate offence carries a fine of 5% of the match fee for every over a team fails to bowl within the allotted time. The World Test Championship’s playing conditions then apply a separate points penalty: teams lose one championship point for each over short, resulting in Pakistan’s deduction of eight WTC points.

Pakistan’s captain, Shan Masood, admitted the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, meaning there was no need for a formal hearing, the ICC added. The charge was raised by on-field umpires Richard Kettleborough and Kumar Dharmasena, with third umpire Allahuddien Palekar and fourth umpire Gazi Sohel...