India, West Indies handed fines by ICC for slow over rate in T20I series opener

Both India and West Indies were fined by the ICC for slow over rates during the first T20I in Tarouba on Thursday. India ended up trailing the West Indians for the first time in their ongoing tour of the Caribbean and the United States, falling short by just four runs after being set 150 to win in the T20I series opener at the Brian Lara Stadium. Read | Hardik Pandya defends India after 4-run loss to West Indies in 1st T20I Both teams failed to bowl their quota of overs within the stipulated time, and as a result, were forced to bring in an extra fielder into the 30-yard circle as a penalty. While India were fined five per cent of their match fee for falling one over short of the minimum over-rate on Thursday night, West Indies have been docked 10 per cent of their match fee for falling two overs short of the minimum over-rate. Richie Richardson of the ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees imposed the sanction after Hardik Pandya and Rovman Powell’s sides were ruled to be one and two overs short respectively of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration. 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 fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time, subject to a cap of 50 per cent of the match fee. According to an ICC release, Pandya and Powell pleaded guilty to the offences and accepted the proposed sanctions, so there was no need for a formal hearing. On-field umpires Gregory Brathwaite and Patrick Gustard, third umpire Nigel Duguid and fourth umpire Leslie Reifer levelled the charges. India lost the first T20I by four runs. The second match of the series will be played at Providence, Guyana on Sunday. With inputs from PTI