The International Cricket Council (ICC) has taken disciplinary action against the women’s cricket team of India for failing to maintain the required over-rate during the opening match of the ongoing tri-nation series in Colombo.
The Harmanpreet Kaur-led side has been penalized for a slow-over rate violation, as per the guidelines laid out in the ICC Code of Conduct.
According to an official statement released by the ICC, the Indian women’s team has been fined five percent of their match fees after being found one over short of the target, even after considering allowances for delays. The sanction was issued by match referee Vanessa de Silva, a member of the ICC International Panel of Match Referees.
The penalty falls under Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which addresses minimum over-rate offences. The regulation stipulates that teams are fined 5% of their match fee for every over they fall short of completing within the allotted time.
India’s captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, accepted the charge and the corresponding fine, waiving the need for a formal disciplinary hearing. The on-field umpires Anna Harris and Nimali Perera filed the charge, with additional support from third umpire Lyndon Hannibal and fourth umpire Dedunu de Silva.
Despite the over-rate issue, India delivered a dominant performance on the field. Their bowlers, led by Sneh Rana who claimed three key wickets, restricted the opposition effectively. In the chase of 148 runs, batter Pratika Rawal anchored the innings with an unbeaten half-century, guiding India to a comfortable nine-wicket victory.
The tri-series is seen as an important preparatory ground for both emerging and established teams, and this opening win boosts India’s confidence moving forward. However, the over-rate penalty serves as a reminder that discipline and time management remain key responsibilities under ICC regulations, especially in tightly scheduled tournaments.
As the tri-series progresses, all participating teams will likely be more cautious to ensure they adhere to the rules and avoid fines or other sanctions, particularly in high-stakes fixtures.