ICC Fined Pakistan for Slow-Over Rate: Pakistan was fined five percent of the match fees on Thursday to maintain a slow over speed during the match against New Zealand in the first match of the Champions Trophy at the National Stadium in Karachi. Tournament hosts and defending winners Pakistan lost by 60 runs against New Zealand on Wednesday.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) said that Pakistan was found guilty of throwing one over in the stipulated time. The field umpires Richard Kettleboro and Sharafuddaula, third umpire Joel Wilson and fourth umpire Alex Wharf were accused, while the match referee Andy Picroft fined and deducted five percent of the match fee.
Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan admitted the crime, which did not require formal hearing. According to Rule 2.22, the players are fined five percent of their match fees for throwing each over in the scheduled time according to the Rule 2.22 of the minimum over speed of the ICC Code of Conduct for the players and players’ support staff.
For the first time since 1996, New Zealand was easily defeated by New Zealand in the initial match of Group A, hosting the ICC tournament. Batting first after losing the toss, New Zealand, losing five wickets in the prescribed 50 overs, scored a mountain of 320 runs on the scoreboard and gave the host Pakistan a target of 321 runs to win. In response, the Pakistan team was all out for 260 runs in 47.2 overs.
Saud Shakeel (6) and Babar Azam (64) started the innings on behalf of the Pak team chasing the target. Captain Mohammad Rizwan (3), at number three after Shakeel was dismissed early, could not do anything special. Fakhar Zaman (24) and Salman Ali Agha (42), who came to bat at fourth and fifth, definitely handled the innings, but could not make a big partnership.
Khushdil Shah (69), who came to bat at number seven, scored the most runs for Pakistan. Pakistan had lost five wickets for 128 runs at one time. New Zealand took the most three wickets from William O’Rurke and Mitchell Santner. Apart from him, Matt Harry got two, Mitchell Bracewell and Nathan Smith got one success each.
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