ICC penalises West Indies with match-fee fine and World Test Championship points deduction following the drawn second Test in Antigua.
West Indies have been penalised by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for maintaining a slow over-rate during the second Test against Sri Lanka, resulting in a deduction of World Test Championship (WTC) points and a financial penalty for the players.
The sanction came after the second Test of the two-match series ended in a draw at North Sound, Saint George, Antigua and Barbuda. The match formed part of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship cycle, making the over-rate offence significant for the team’s standing in the competition.
According to the ICC, the West Indies were found to be two overs short of the required target after time allowances were taken into account. As a result, match referee Javagal Srinath of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel imposed a fine equivalent to 10 per cent of the players’ match fees.
Under Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, teams are penalised for failing to maintain the minimum required over-rate. The regulation states that players are fined five per cent of their match fee for every over their side falls short, with the total penalty capped at 50 per cent.
West Indies captain Roston Chase admitted the offence and accepted the proposed sanction. His acceptance of the charge meant that a formal disciplinary hearing was not required. The charge was brought by on-field umpires Paul Reiffel and Ahsan Raza, along with third umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid and fourth umpire Deighton Buttler.
In addition to the financial penalty, the West Indies also suffered a setback in the ICC World Test Championship standings. As per Article 16.11.2 of the WTC playing conditions, teams lose one championship point for every over they are short of the target.
Since the Caribbean side was ruled to be two overs behind, two WTC points were deducted from their tally. Although the West Indies remain in eighth place in the current WTC standings, the penalty has further reduced their points percentage (PCT) to 15, making their path in the championship even more challenging.