Dubai: The ICC has sanctioned both India and West Indies for slow over-rates during the third ODI at New Chandigarh on Saturday. India were fined 20 per cent of their match fee and West Indies 10 per cent, after the two sides were found four and two overs short respectively.
The numbers
Under Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct, players are fined five per cent of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time, once allowances are applied. Four overs short meant a 20 per cent hit for India; two overs short cost Shai Hope’s West Indies 10 per cent.
Both captains pleaded guilty and accepted the sanctions, so no formal hearings were needed. Match referee Prakash Bhatt imposed the penalties; the charges were laid by on-field umpires Jayaraman Madanagopal and Sam Nogajski, third umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid and fourth umpire Virender Sharma.
A nine-hour marathon
The match stretched beyond nine hours, drawing criticism during the broadcast — Ravi Shastri flagged the pace of play from the commentary box, while Dinesh Karthik raised it on social media. In an era of shrinking attention spans, over-rate enforcement remains one of the ICC’s bluntest tools.
Context matters
The irony is not lost: the same game produced West Indies’ record 352 chase and Shai Hope’s 162*. Thrilling cricket, but played at a pace the rulebook does not allow. With the T20I series underway, both captains will be keen to keep the over-rates — and the match referees — happy.
Image: Wikimedia Commons
