England cricket team loses valuable WTC points as ICC punish them for breaching code of conduct

The England cricket team has been heavily penalised by the International Cricket Council (ICC), including losing World Test Championship points, for maintaining a slow over-rate against India in the third Test at Lord’s.

The Ben Stokes-led England have been fined 10 per cent of their match fee in also penalised two ICC World Test Championship points. The penalty was imposed on England after they were found to be two overs short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration.

ICC penalises England for slow over-rate

“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 every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time,” ICC said in a release.

“In addition, as per Article 16.11.2 of the ICC World Test Championship playing conditions, a side is penalised one point for each over short. Consequently, two World Test Championship points have been deducted from England’s points total.”

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The ICC added: “England captain Ben Stokes pled guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing.

“On-field umpires Paul Reiffel and Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, third umpire Ahsan Raza and fourth umpire Graham Lloyd levelled the charge.”

The England cricket team had also lost a mind-boggling 22 points during the 2023-25 WTC cycle for slow over-rate, resulting in them finishing fifth in the nine-team table. They have never qualified for the WTC final.