West Indies fined 20 percent match fee for slow over rate in opening T20I

International Cricket Council (ICC) has penalized the West Indies team for maintaining a slow over-rate in the first T20I match against India on Friday. ICC has deducted 20 percent of the match fee as West Indies captain Nicholas Pooran has pleaded guilty to the charges and match referee Richie Richardson imposed the fine.

West Indies managed to score only 122 runs while chasing a 191-run target in the first match at Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba. Indian bowlers, especially spinners, overpowered the hosts’ batters, with opener Shamarh Brooks scoring the highest 20 runs. For India, Ravi Ashwin, Ravi Bishnoi, and Arshdeep Singh took two wickets each to guide India to a big 68-run win. West Indies managed to play all 20 overs, and according to the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, they failed to complete their overs in the allotted time.

“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 percent of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time,” the ICC statement read.

West Indies have already lost the ODI series

The Indian team were slammed with the same fine two times this month for maintaining a slow over-rate. The Men in Blue, under Shikhar Dhawan’s captaincy, were fined 20 percent of the match fee in the first ODI match against the West Indies. And 40% of the match fee in the rescheduled fifth Test match against England under the captaincy of Jasprit Bumrah. Former Australian captain Ian Chappell recently demanded stricter rules regarding slow over rate and believes that deduction in match fee is not working anymore.

India previously won three-match ODI series and are clear favorites to whitewash the home side in T20Is as well. Both teams will engage in the second and third fixtures at Basseterre in St Kitts and Nevis on Monday and Tuesday. And then travel to the United States of America for the last two matches to be played at Central Broward Regional Park in Lauderhill, Florida.