ICC fines Pakistan, docks eight WTC points for slow over rate in Dhaka Test

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday fined Pakistan 40 per cent of their match fee and docked them eight points in the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) for maintaining a slow over rate during the first Test against Bangladesh.

In a press release, the ICC said, “Pakistan have been fined 40pc of their match fee and penalised eight points in the ongoing WTC 2025-27 cycle after being ruled eight overs short of the target once time allowances were taken into account”.

With this penalty, Pakistan is now on four points in the WTC standings, placing them eighth, just above the West Indies.

The sanction was imposed by Jeff Crowe of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, it added.

“Under Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which deals with minimum over-rate offences, players are fined 5pc of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl within the allotted time,” the release said.

“As per Article 16.11.2 of the WTC playing conditions, teams lose one championship point for each over short, resulting in Pakistan being docked eight crucial points in the WTC standings,” it maintained.

The press release said that Pakistan captain Shan Masood had “admitted the offence and accepted the proposed sanction”, eliminating the need for a formal hearing.

The charge was levelled by on-field umpires Richard Kettleborough and Kumar Dharmasena, alongside third umpire Allahuddien Palekar and fourth umpire Gazi Sohel, it said.

In the first match of the two-Test series in Dhaka, Pakistan’s Test team was beaten by Bangladesh by 104 runs, as the hosts took a 1-0 lead.

The second match of the series was scheduled to be played from May 16 to 20 in Sylhet.