Pakistan and Sri Lanka have been fined 10 percent and five percent of their match fees respectively for slow over-rates in the opening match of the Pakistan ODI tri-series at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Match referee Jeff Crowe of the Emirates International Cricket Council (ICC) Elite Panel imposed the sanctions after Pakistan was found two overs short of the required rate, while Sri Lanka was one over behind once time allowances were taken into account.
Under Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, players are fined five percent of their match fees for every over their team fails to bowl in the allotted time.
Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi and Sri Lanka skipper Kusal Mendis pleaded guilty and accepted the sanctions, so no formal hearings were required. The charges were levelled by on-field umpires Asif Yaqoob and Wayne Knights, third umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid and fourth umpire Faisal Afridi.
Pakistan won the match by 37 runs. Batting first after Mendis elected to field, the hosts were bowled out for 305 in 49.5 overs, powered by Salman Ali Agha’s 107 off 90 balls, his fourth ODI century. Babar Azam made 45, debutant Saad Baig 39 and Hasan Nawaz 37. Eshan Malinga took 4 for 46 and Asitha Fernando claimed three wickets for Sri Lanka.
In reply, Sri Lanka got dismissed for 268 in 48.1 overs. Pavan Rathnayake (79) and Janith Liyanage (60) shared a 119-run fifth-wicket stand that briefly threatened Pakistan, but the hosts’ pacers regained control. Shaheen took 3 for 55, while Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf and Faheem Ashraf took two wickets each.
Salman Ali Agha was named Player of the Match.
