Pakistan cricket team's Australia tour didn't have a rather auspicious start and it has only gotten worse with the ICC slapping a fine and a penalty on Shan Masood's men following the first Test in Perth. Pakistan lost the Test by 360 runs and now due to a slow over rate, the whole team has been fined 10 per cent of the match fees and have suffered a two-point loss in the World Test Championship (WTC) points table.
"In accordance with Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to minimum over-rate offences, players are fined five per cent of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time.
"In addition, as per Article 16.11.2 of the ICC World Test Championship playing conditions, a side is penalised one point for each over short. Consequently, two World Test Championship points have been deducted from Pakistan’s points total," an ICC statement said. Pakistan were found two overs short of the minimum requirement and hence the charges.
Pakistan, who were at the top of the points table before the start of the three-match Test series against Australia with a points percentage of a hundred, saw a drop to 66.67 per cent after the defeat. Now, the points have reduced to 22 from three matches and the PCT has further reduced to 61.1. Pakistan stay in second position on the table but now have a lower PCT than the current toppers India (66.67).
Pakistan will face Australia in two more Test matches in Melbourne and Sydney and will hope to win at least one of those two games, otherwise, the situation may get out of hand for the Men in Green as far as qualification for the WTC final is concerned.
