India have been found guilty for a slow over-rate for the first time in almost six year. Each player copped a match fee fine of 40 percent after the fourth T20I at Westpac Stadium in Wellington earlier this week.
India won the match – and built an unassailable serires lead to four-nil. One-over eliminators were required to decide the result in the third and fourth T20Is.
What was said about India's slow over-rate
“As per 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 percent of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the stipulated time. Notwithstanding time allowances, India were found to be two overs short of the requirement at Westpac Stadium and thus the fine was doubled,” read a statement from the International Cricket Council.
“On-field umpires Chris Brown and Shaun Haig, and third umpire Ashley Mehrotra, reported the matter to match referee Chris Broad, who imposed the sanction, which went uncontested as captain Virat Kohli accepted the charge. There was no formal hearing needed.”
India had not been sanctioned for a slow over rate for 264 matches previously. This is their first violation under the captaincy of Kohli.
After this T20I series, New Zealand and India will contest two Tests. The tourists will be without all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who is still recovering from back surgery. Pandya has not played international cricket since September 2019, but will likely be fit to participate in the Mumbai Indians' Indian Premier League campaign later this year. Mumbai have won the IPL four times – and are the reigning champions. They beat the Chennai Super Kings in the 2019 final.
“Pandya has been ruled out of the upcoming Test series against New Zealand. He travelled to London and was accompanied by National Cricket Academy head physiotherapist Ashish Kaushik for a review by spinal surgeon Dr James Allibone. Hardik will be under rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy until he regains full match fitness,” read a statement from the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
