April 7, 2025 – The Pakistan cricket team has been slapped with another fine by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for maintaining a slow over-rate during the third One Day International (ODI) against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui, rounding off a disappointing tour for the visitors.
This marks the third consecutive match in which Pakistan have been penalized for failing to complete their overs in the allotted time, underlining a persistent issue with time management throughout the series. Mohammad Rizwan, who captained the side in the absence of Babar Azam, has accepted full responsibility for the breach.
The ICC announced that Pakistan were ruled to be one over short of their target after taking into account all time allowances. As a result, Jeff Crowe, a member of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, imposed a fine of five percent of the match fee on all players in accordance with Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which relates to minimum over-rate offences.
Rizwan pleaded guilty to the offense and accepted the sanction without the need for a formal hearing. The charge was leveled by on-field umpires Chris Brown and Paul Reiffel, with support from Michael Gough and Wayne Knights in the third and fourth umpire roles, respectively.
This latest fine comes after Pakistan suffered a 3-0 whitewash in the ODI series and a 4-1 defeat in the preceding five-match T20I series, making it a tour to forget for the team. With the ICC taking strict action against slow over-rates as part of its efforts to maintain the pace and integrity of the game, Pakistan’s repeated infractions raise questions about leadership and tactical discipline.
Beyond the financial penalty, these repeated over-rate violations could have broader consequences for Pakistan, including possible suspension of players for future matches if the pattern continues. The team management is now expected to reassess its on-field strategies and time management protocols to avoid further sanctions and ensure smoother match conduct in upcoming international assignments.