NEW DELHI (Agencies): Pakistan’s faltering ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup campaign has received a further blow with the team sanctioned for a slow over rate during their recent match against South Africa.
The Asian side were found to be four overs short during South Africa’s batting innings in Chennai and were handed a penalty of 20 percent of their match fee. The ICC Code of Conduct states that players will be fined five percent of their match fee for every over that is failed to be bowled in the allotted time.
On-field umpires Alex Wharf and Paul Reiffel, third umpire Richard Illingworth and fourth umpire Richard Kettleborough levelled the charge after Pakistan’s loss to South Africa. And Pakistan captain Babar Azam accepted the sanction. Pakistan have prevailed in just two matches from six appearances at this year’s World Cup and the 1992 champions need to win their remaining three matches just to have any chance of qualifying for the semi-finals. Their next clash comes in Kolkata on Tuesday, with Pakistan facing Bangladesh in what looms as a must-win encounter.
