The International Cricket Council (ICC) imposed a 10 percent fine on the Pakistan national cricket team for a slow over-rate during the first Test match against the home side held at the Optus Stadium in Perth. After a massive 360-run defeat in the first Test, Pakistan’s position in the World Test Championship (WTC) standings slipped to No. 2. As a consequence of the penalty imposed, their percentage points decreased from 66.67 to 61.11. According to Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, players incur a five percent fine of their match fee if their team fails to bowl within the stipulated time. Additionally, under Article 16.11.2 of the ICC World Test Championship playing conditions, a team is docked one point for every over it falls short. Consequently, Pakistan has had two World Test Championship points deducted. The imposition of these sanctions came from the Emirates ICC Elite Panel Match Referee, Javagal Srinath, who applied the penalties as Pakistan was found to be two overs short, accounting for time allowances. The charges were also initiated by on-field umpires Joel Wilson and Richard Illingworth, alongside third umpire Michael Gough and fourth umpire Donovan Koch. Pakistan’s captain, Shan Masood, pleaded guilty to the offense and accepted the imposed sanctions. The second Test of the three-match series is set to kick off on Boxing Day, December 26, in Melbourne, with the third Test scheduled to take place from January 3rd to 7th in Sydney. Meanwhile, Australia had taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match Test series, and now Shan Masood and his team were gearing up for another challenge as they seek to shatter the chains of their losing streak in Australia.

Source: Pro Pakistani