Pakistan punished by ICC after being whitewashed by South Africa in Test series

After losing the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 Test series, Pakistan has suffered a double blow, as the tourists have been penalized for maintaining a slow over-rate in the second and final Test against South Africa at the Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town.

The Pakistan cricket team has been fined 25% of their match fee and docked five points in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 for maintaining a slow over-rate in the second and final Test against South Africa at the Newlands Cricket Ground.

Pakistan hit with fine and 5 WTC points deduction for slow over-rate in Cape Town Test

The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the sanction on Tuesday, January 7, after it was determined that Pakistan fell five overs short of the required target, taking into account time allowances. The governing body said that the fine and points deduction were imposed by Richie Richardson, a member of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees.

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The ICC said in a media release on Tuesday: “Pakistan has been fined 25 percent of their match fee and penalized five ICC World Test Championship points for maintaining a slow over-rate against South Africa in the second Test in Cape Town.”

As per the ICC regulations, teams are fined five percent of their match fee for each over they fall short of completing in the allotted time. Additionally, Pakistan has lost five World Test Championship points for this offense, based on the playing conditions.

Shan Masood accepted the sanction imposed by Richie Richardson

The media release further reads: “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 five percent of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time.

In addition, as per Article 16.11.2 of the ICC World Test Championship playing conditions, a side is penalized one point for each over short. Consequently, five World Test Championship points have been deducted from Pakistan’s points total.”

Pakistan captain Shan Masood has accepted the sanction and admitted the offense, so there is no need for a formal hearing. The charge was leveled by the on-field umpires Kumar Dharmasena and Nitin Menon, along with third umpire Alex Wharf and fourth umpire Stephen Harris.

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South Africa whitewashes Pakistan across the formats

Meanwhile, Pakistan showed great fight in the second innings with the skipper, Shan Masood, scoring 145 and Babar Azam hitting 81 runs, but their efforts were not enough, as Ryan Rickelton’s double ton and Temba Bavuma’s century already put them on the back foot in Cape Town.

After scoring a mountainous 615 runs in the first innings, South Africa bowled Pakistan out for just 194 runs and enforced the follow-on. However, Pakistan showed great intent by scoring 478 runs in the second innings, but a 58-run target was too easy to chase down for South Africa in just 42 balls.

With this 10-wicket win in the Cape Town Test, South Africa clinched the trophy by whitewashing Pakistan in the two-match Test series 2-0. Notably, Pakistan lost all their matches in South Africa, as the hosts whitewashed the Men in Green across the formats.