It was another mark against the campaign at Edgbaston in Birmingham, where the ICC put a fine on the side for not keeping up with the over-rate in the Group A tie. After being found to be an over behind, the players are looking at a five percent deduction from their fee.
With captain Fatima Sana in no mood to make a fuss, she put up with the charge and the ICC made it official without a hearing. It was a hard way to start things, coming a day after a 64-run loss to India that showed up some gaps in both play and conduct.
Why the over-rate slip is more than numbers on a board
You don’t often see a slow over-rate make the front page, but it has a way of affecting the mood. Once the time allowances were factored in and the one-over deficit was put to bed, the financial hit was a given for a day when the contest had already slipped away.
It’s all in line with Article 2.22 of the Code of Conduct. The rule is straightforward: if you don’t get your overs in on time, you pay five per cent of your match fee for each one you’re missing.
Deepti puts her foot down and India make a point
Then there was Deepti Sharma. The off-spinner put an end to any hopes of a chase by taking five for 106 in a 170 target. She was unrelenting in the end, putting down three wickets in as many balls to show who was in charge.
She made her presence felt with the willow as well. A 23 from her, and a quick-fire 34 off 17 from Richa Ghosh, saw them to 170/6. They did it in front of a full house of 18,814 at Edgbaston – a record for a group stage game.
How they came to the decision
Referee Trudy Anderson was the one to make the call, having gone over the figures and the allowances. The on-field umpires, Claire Polosak and Jacquline Williams, along with third and fourth umpires Eloise Sheridan and Sue Redfern, were the ones to bring the charge.
The officials and the Code of Conduct have it down to these points:
– Offence: one over short on the rate
– The price: a 5% cut from the match fee
– By the book: Article 2.22
– And that’s it: the captain has accepted, so no need for a formal review
Something Pakistan can’t let slide
In a tournament like this, how you handle yourself matters. For Pakistan, this censure is on top of a batting display that India’s bowlers had no trouble with. To be left with 106 and 64 runs in arrears makes you wonder about the tempo and the intent when the heat is on.
And the fine is just one thing; in the games to come, in-match penalties for over-rates can put a crimp in your fielding and bowling plans. You have to put a stop to it, much like you do with a top order that needs steadying.
Looking ahead
Wednesday’s trip to face South Africa at the same ground is a chance to put things right. They’ll have to be better with the over-rate and find some runs to back up the bowlers.
India will be in good spirits after a 170/6 and a five-wicket haul from Deepti. When they take on South Africa on June 21, you can expect them to try and hold the fort with the bat and rattle the opposition with the spin, just as they did here.
The bottom line
This isn’t just a footnote in the report. It’s a case of the admin and the action on the pitch coming together in a World Cup. Pakistan have signed off on the sanction; we’ll see on Wednesday if they’ve made the most of it.
For India, the 18,814 in the stands and the win say what they need to. For Pakistan, the 64-run margin and the over-rate issue are a sign to get in order before the competition gets any sterner.
