Azhar Ali suspended for slow over-rate

Azhar Ali, Pakistan’s One-Day International captain, was handed a one-match suspension and fined 40 per cent of his match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate in the fifth one-dayer against Australia in Adelaide on Thursday (January 26). This was Azhar’s second minor offence in the last 12 months, with the first one coming against New Zealand in Auckland on 31 January, 2016.

The charge against him was laid by on-field umpires Simon Fry and Chettithody Shamshuddin, third umpire Chris Gaffaney, and fourth official Sam Nogajski, with match referee Jeff Crowe imposing the suspension.

In accordance with Article 2.5.1 and Appendix 2 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Players Support Personnel, which deals with minor over-rate offences, players are fined 10 per cent of their match fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time, with the captain fined double that amount.

In accordance, all the other players of the side were also fined 20 per cent of their match fee after the team was found to be two overs short of their target after time allowances were taken into consideration.

Pakistan went on to lose the match by 57 runs, courtesy centuries from Australian openers David Warner and Travis Head, and a four-wicket haul from pacer Mitchell Starc. With the defeat, they ended their tour Down Under with a scoreline of 1-4.