ICC World Cup 2023: Pakistan cricket team penalised for slow over rate against New Zealand

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan cricket team has once again faced a penalty for a slow over rate, this time during an ICC World Cup 2023 match played against New Zealand at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

According to the International Cricket Council (ICC), Pakistan’s bowlers fell two overs short of the prescribed time, leading to a 10% match fee penalty imposed on the players.

In a statement, the ICC said that Pakistan’s cricket team captain, Babar Azam, acknowledged the error and graciously accepted the imposed penalty.

This marks the second instance in the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023 where Pakistan has been penalised for a slow over rate, demonstrating the need for greater efficiency in their bowling tactics.

The previous penalty was incurred during a World Cup match against South Africa, where Pakistan’s national players were fined 20% of their match fee for the same violation.

Captain Babar Azam had accepted the responsibility and the associated consequences, highlighting the team’s commitment to improving their performance in the tournament.

What is slow over rate

Slow over rate is a term that refers to the situation when the bowling team in cricket is unable to complete the required number of overs within the allotted time. Overs are the units of measurement for the length of an innings in cricket. Each over consists of six legal deliveries by the bowler to the batsman. The time limit for completing the overs depends on the format of the game and the level of cricket being played.

In international cricket, the minimum over rate that must be maintained is 15 overs per hour in Test matches, 14.28 overs per hour in One Day Internationals (ODIs), and 14.11 overs per hour in Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). These are the average rates that must be achieved over the course of an innings, taking into account any interruptions or delays due to factors such as weather, injuries, reviews, or drinks breaks. If the bowling team fails to meet the minimum over rate, they are deemed to have a slow over rate and are subject to penalties by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The penalties for slow over rate vary depending on the severity and frequency of the offence. The ICC has a Code of Conduct that outlines the sanctions for slow over rate in international cricket. According to the Code of Conduct, the captain of the bowling team is held responsible for ensuring that the over rate is maintained and is liable to face fines or suspensions if the team has a slow over rate. The fines are calculated as a percentage of the match fee for each over that the team is behind the required rate. The suspensions are imposed if the captain commits multiple offences within a 12-month period. The table below summarizes the penalties for slow over rate in international cricket.

Format       Fine per over      Suspension threshold

Test            10%                       (2 offences)         

ODI              20%                      (3 offences)

T20I             40%                      (4 offences)

For example, if a team bowls 13 overs in an hour instead of the required 15 overs in a Test match, the captain will be fined 20% of his match fee (10% x 2 overs) and the other players will be fined 10% of their match fees. If the same captain commits another offence of slow over rate within 12 months, he will be suspended for one Test match or two limited-overs matches, whichever comes first.

In addition to the ICC Code of Conduct, some domestic leagues and tournaments have their own rules and penalties for slow over rate. For instance, in the Indian T20 League, the bowling team is expected to complete their 20 overs within 90 minutes, including two strategic timeouts of 2.5 minutes each. The penalties for slow over rate in the Indian T20 League are as follows:

For the first offence in a season, the captain of the bowling team will be fined $16,000.

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For the second offence in a season, the captain of the bowling team will be fined $32,000 and the other 10 players will either be fined approximately $8,000 or 25% of their match fees, whichever is lesser.

For the third and each subsequent offence in a season, the captain of the bowling team will be fined approximately $40,000 and will also be banned for one match. The other 10 players in the team will also be fined approximately $16,000 or 50% of their match fees, whichever is lesser.

The purpose of having rules and penalties for slow over rate is to ensure that the game is played in a fair and timely manner and that the spectators are not deprived of the entertainment value of the sport. Slow over rate can affect the quality and outcome of the game, as it can reduce the number of overs available for the batting team, give an unfair advantage to the bowling team, or disrupt the rhythm and momentum of the players. Therefore, it is important for the teams and the umpires to monitor the over rate and avoid any unnecessary delays or interruptions.