DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC), on Thursday, reprimanded the Pakistan men’s cricket team for maintaining a slow over-rate during the second ODI of their three-match series against New Zealand.
According to the ICC, match referee Jeff Crowe from the Elite Panel imposed the sanction after Pakistan fell one short of the required target, even after considering time allowances.
Under Article 2.2 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which deals with minimum over-rate offences, players are fined five per cent of their match fee for each over their side fails to complete in the stipulated time.
Given that Pakistan was one over behind, the team has been handed a 5 per cent match fee deduction.
Pakistan’s captain, Mohammad Rizwan, accepted the charges and penalties, eliminating the need for a formal hearing.
This comes on the back of another over-rate issue during the first ODI, where the team was penalized with a 10 per cent fine of their match fee for being two overs short of the required target.
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It is pertinent to mention that after a 4-1 drubbing in the T20I series, the Men in Green carried their poor form into the ODIs, losing the opening matchfirst ODI by 73 runs before conceding the series with an 84-run defeat in the second match on Wednesday.
The loss handed New Zealand an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Chasing 293, Pakistan crumbled to 208 all out, with only Faheem Ashraf (73 off 80) and Naseem (51 off 44) offering resistance.
The duo stitched a crucial 60-run stand for the ninth wicket, briefly giving Pakistan a glimmer of hope.
With Pakistan already trailing 2-0 in the series, they now face the daunting task of avoiding a clean sweep in the final ODI, scheduled in Mount Maunganui on April 5.
Pakistan squad for ODI series against New Zealand
Mohammad Rizwan (c)(wk), Salman Ali Agha (vc), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Akif Javed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr., Mohammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir, Haris Rauf, and Usman Khan.