New Delhi: India were penalised a 10 percent match fee after being pulled up for a slow over-rate during the second ODI against South Africa in Raipur on December 3. Match referee Richie Richardson from the Emirates ICC Eline Panel imposed the sanction after KL Rahul’s side was found two overs short of the requirement once all time allowances were taken into account.
The offence falls under Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct which deals specifically with minimum over-rate breaches. Under the rule, players lose five per cent of their match fee for every over their team fails to complete in the allotted time. With India two overs behind, the total deduction came to 10 percent.
The stand-in captain for the series KL Rahul accepted the charge and the proposed sanction without contest meaning no formal hearing was required. The match officials on-field umpires Rod Tucker and Rohan Pandit, third umpire Sam Nogajski and fourth umpire Jayaraman Madanagopal reported the breach after the game.
How the series unfolded?
Men in Blue won the opening Ranchi ODI with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli leading the side from the front as they tore apart South Africa’s bowling line-up. In reply, Proteas fell short of 17 runs as India took the edge early.
India lost the second ODI against the Proteas despite Virat Kohli and Ruturaj Gaikwad’s exceptional tons setting up what looked like a winning total on a surface offering true bounce and value for shots.
South Africa refused to buckle as Aiden Markram played the innings of the match, crafting a superb 110 off 98 balls to keep the chase on track. He found support through the middle overs as the Proteas balanced composure with timely aggression, helping them level the three-match series 1-1.
In the final decider in Visakhapatnam, India went on to clinch the series, but the Raipur defeat and the over-rate lapse left the hosts with a reminder about maintaining areas better as field placements, match-ups and regular tactical pauses eat into the clock.