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The West Indies cricket team is forced to sacrifice two crucial points in the ongoing cycle of the World Test Championship (WTC) as they are found guilty of not fulfilling the total number of overs in a stipulated time frame during their latest Test match against Sri Lanka in North Sound, Saint George, Antigua and Barbuda.
Because of the slow over rate, the team has been fined 10 per cent of their match fee as well. Match referee Javagal Sreenath has imposed the sanctions on West Indies.
Why do West Indies need to sacrifice 2 points?
Roston Chase, the team’s captain, was found guilty of breaching the rule. The Caribbean skipper accepted the proposed sanction.
On July 8, Wednesday, the International Cricket Council (ICC) issued an official release on their website, which informs, “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 five per cent of their match fee for each over their team fails to bowl within the allotted time, with the maximum penalty capped at 50 per cent of the match fee.”
Quoting another rule from ICC’s Code of Conduct, the official press release says, “as per Article 16.11.2 of the ICC World Test Championship playing conditions, a side is penalised one point for each over short.”
As West Indies were reported short by a couple of overs from the total number of overs within the limited time frame, they will have to dock 2 points.
Justin Greaves was outstanding in the 2-match Test series
The second of the 2-match Test series ended in a draw after a high-scoring encounter between West Indies and Sri Lanka. Batting first, Sri Lanka scored 549 runs against 9 wickets, and the hosts replied with a 499-run innings.
In the second innings of the Test, the Caribbeans made a comeback with the ball, restricting the island nation’s cricket team to 259 runs. To win the match, the home side needed to score 302 runs in their second innings. The event eventually concluded in a draw as at the end of Day 5, the home team was on 109 runs, without losing any wickets.
The series was captured by the Roston Chase-led team, as they claimed the opener of the contest. Justin Greaves was named the player of the series as well as the best player of the second Test because of his brilliant all-round performance.
West Indies are currently 8th in the WTC standings
Greaves scored 180 off 325 as a middle-order batter in the first innings and took a wicket as well. Shai Hope was another centurion in the match, who showcased his batting skills through a 112-run knock in the first innings.
Currently, West Indies is at 8th place in the 9-team Test Championship, only ahead of Pakistan, the bottommost team in the standings. So far, the Caribbeans have managed to win only one match out of 10 Tests, with seven defeats and a couple of draws.