England Handed Points Penalty By ICC Despite Lord's Test Win, Slip To...
Every single point matters as the teams look to make it to the final of 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle.
- England docked 2 points in World Test Championship for slow over-rate against India
- England fined 10 per cent of match fee for slow over-rate in third Test at Lords
- England were two overs short after time allowances in the third Test against India
The Ben Stokes-led England cricket team face a bit of a setback, as the International Cricket Council (ICC) has decided to dock 2 points from England's tally in the World Test Championship standings. England have also been fined 10 per cent of their match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate against India in the third Test at Lord's. In a release on Wednesday, ICC confirmed the penalties to the England team after Richie Richardson of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees confirmed the sanctions. England were ruled to be two overs short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration.
As a result of the penalty, England's tally in the World Test Championship standings dropped from 24 to 22 out of 36 points, which resulted in their point percentage (PCT) from 66.67 per cent to 61.11 per cent. England were placed second in the points table before the sanctions were announced but are now down to the third spot.
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 England's points total.
England captain Ben Stokes pled guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing.
WTC 2025-27 POINTS TABLE pic.twitter.com/EndWod9XUc
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On-field umpires Paul Reiffel and Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, third umpire Ahsan Raza and fourth umpire Graham Lloyd levelled the charge.
England sit third in the World Test Championship points table with 2 wins in three matches in the current cycle. Australia occupy the No. 1 spot with 3 wins in 3 matches while Sri Lanka are second with two wins in three matches. India, at present, are fourth in the standings, having one just one of their three matches in the ongoing WTC cycle.
It has to be noted that over-rates hold a lot of significance in the WTC standings, and every point can make a difference in the team's pursuit of making it to the final.
With Inputs from ICC Release
India Cricket Team
England Cricket Team
Ben Stokes