The joy of the Indian team’s historic maiden Test win in Centurion against South Africa in the first match of the three-Test series has been dampened a bit after ICC docked the visitors 20% of their match fees and one World Test Championship (WTC) point for slow over-rate offence.
India defeated South Africa in Centurion by 113 runs to become the first Asian nation to register a Test win at the venue. The Proteas batting had no answer to the disciplined Indian bowling attack as they were bundled for 197 and 191 in two innings.
India made 327 and 174 in their two innings with KL Rahul contributing a century and Mayank Agarwal making 60 in the first innings. Mohammad Shami picked 8 wickets including a fifer in the first innings, while Jasprit Bumrah took five wickets to help India go 1-0 up in the series.
SA v IND 2021-22: BCCI announces Team India squad for South Africa ODIs; KL Rahul named captain
However, the team, on Friday, were docked 20% of their match fees for maintaining a slow over-rate and the ICC will also dock them one point from their ICC Men's World Test Championship tally due to this offence.
Andrew Pycroft of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees imposed the sanction after India ended one over short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration. Umpires Marais Erasmus, Adrian Holdstock, Allahudien Paleker, and Bongani Jele leveled the charge.
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 20 percent of their match fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time, the ICC said in a statement.
In addition, as per Article 16.11 of the ICC Men's World Test Championship Playing Conditions, a side is penalized one point for each over short.
Captain Virat Kohli pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing.
(PTI inputs)
