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England have been penalised by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for maintaining a slow overrate during the thrilling third Test against India at Lord’s. As per Article 16.11.2 of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) playing conditions, the home side were found two overs short after allowances were taken into account, resulting in a deduction of two WTC points and a 10% fine on players’ match fees.
The penalty saw England’s WTC points reduce from 24 to 22, with their percentage dropping from 66.67% to 61.11%. Consequently, they slipped from second to third on the WTC table, with Sri Lanka moving up. England skipper Ben Stokes accepted the penalty, thereby avoiding a formal hearing. The sanction was finalised by match referee Richie Richardson from the ICC Elite Panel.
Michael Vaughan questions ICC’s sanctioning on England
The decision to penalise only England did not sit well with former captain Michael Vaughan. Taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Vaughan expressed his disappointment and confusion over the ICC’s ruling. He argued that both teams were equally guilty of poor over rates and questioned why only one side faced punishment.
“Let’s be honest both teams over rates at Lords were very very poor .. How only 1 team has been reprimanded is beyond me,” Vaughan wrote in his post, sparking fresh debate over the consistency in ICC’s application of overrate rules.
England lead series despite Lord’s penalty setback
Despite the off-field setback, England lead the five-match Test series 2-1 after clinching a tense 22-run win over India at Lord’s. The Test witnessed numerous stoppages, including multiple ball changes and injuries, with only 83 and 75 overs bowled on the first two days respectively. Rain played no part in the interruptions, frustrating fans and commentators alike.
While India also had a below-par overrate, they escaped any sanction — a point that added fuel to Vaughan’s frustration. As the series moves to Manchester for the fourth Test on July 23, England will aim to seal the series, while India look to bounce back and level things.
Also READ: ENG vs IND: Mohammed Siraj shares his first reaction after India’s heartbreaking loss in Lord’s Test
