Pakistan and Bangladesh docked WTC points due to slow over-rate in Rawalpindi Test
Pakistan and Bangladesh have both been found guilty of maintaining a slow-over rate in the first Test in Rawalpindi. The Najmul Hossain Shanto-led side scripted a historic 10-wicket win to mark their first red-ball triumph over the Men in Green, but lose three points in the World Test Championship after being found three overs short of the acceptable criteria.
Pakistan, on the other hand, apart from the humiliating loss, have to bear the brunt of losing six points after being guilty of being six overs short of the rate. Both captains have pleaded guilty to the aforementioned offences set by the match officials. As a result, there will no formal hearings held, meaning that the matter is deemed closed.
The offences come with a financial penalty as well, with Pakistan squad fined 30 percent of their match fees, while the visitors have been hit with a 15 percent match fee fine.
Pakistan fielded four frontline pacers in their playing XI, who bowled 122.3 overs out of the 174 overs across both innings. The points deduction comes across as a major blow to the Men in Green, who have lost each of their last four Tests in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle. Furthermore, it completely derails their ambitions of making it to the final.
Shan Masood and company will have to win nearly all their remaining matches to have a chance of being in the top two. They are currently placed eighth in the rankings out of nine teans, with only a 2-0 away triumph against Sri Lanka in their wins column.
The deduction also affects Bangladesh, as they drop to seventh from the sixth position after the first Test of the series.
Shakib Al Hasan fined 10 percent of his match-fee for aggressively throwing the ball at Mohammad Rizwan during the Pakistan vs Bangladesh 1st Test
Apart from the team offences, the final assessment by the match officials, which includes on-field umpires and third umpire as well as the match referee, also includes a separate fine for Shakib Al Hasan.
The veteran Bangladesh all-rounder has been fined 10 percent of his match fees for throwing the ball at Mohammad Rizwan in the 33rd over of the second innings. Shakib chucked the ball at the wicket-keeper batter after being frustrated by the fact that he had backed away from facing the delivery at the last minute.
"Shakib was penalised in accordance with Article 2.9 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “throwing a ball (or any other item of cricket equipment such as a water bottle) at or near a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee or any other third person in an inappropriate and/or dangerous manner during an International Match," ICC's statement read.
The second and final Test between Bangladesh and Pakistan is scheduled to be held in Rawalpindi from August 30 onwards.