ICC fines India for slow over-rate in final T20I against NZ

Dubai: The Indian cricket team has been fined 20 percent of its match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate against New Zealand in the fifth and final Twenty20 International in Mount Maunganui.

Chris Broad of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees imposed the sanction after India were ruled to be one over short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration.

“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 20 per cent of their match fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time,” the ICC said in a statement.

India stand-in captain Rohit Sharma pleaded guilty to the offense and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing.

On-field umpires Chris Brown and Shaun Haig and third umpire Ashley Mehrotra leveled the charge. India won the match by seven runs on Sunday to complete a rare 5-0 series whitewash over New Zealand in the shortest format of the game.

This is the second successive time that Virat Kohli’s men have been fined for slow over-rate.

On Saturday, the Indian team was docked 40 percent of its match fee after falling short of the target by two overs in the fourth T20 International at the Westpack Stadium.