COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, CMC – Already bruised from their loss in the One-Day International (ODI) series opener on Saturday, West Indies were slapped with a fine for maintaining a slow over-rate in the match against Sri Lanka.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) said in a statement Sunday that the Caribbean side will have to give up 40 per cent of their match fee for the infraction.
Javagal Srinath of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees imposed the sanctions after Kieron Pollard’s side was ruled to be two overs short 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 20 per cent of their match fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time.
Pollard accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing.
On-field umpires Paul Wilson and Ruchira Palliyaguruge, third umpire Marais Erasmus and fourth official Lyndon Hannibal levelled the charges.
West Indies suffered a narrow one-wicket loss to Sri Lanka in a tense opener of the three-match series at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground here on Saturday, despite Shai Hope securing his ninth ODI hundred.
West Indies made 289/7 from their 50 overs while the hosts ended 290/9 in 49.1 overs.
The two sides will face each other again tomorrow in the second ODI at the Mahinda Rajapaksha International Cricket Stadium in Hambantota. The third match is scheduled for Sunday, March 1 at the Pallekele Cricket Stadium in Pallekele.
West Indies need to win the remaining matches in order to clinch their first-ever ODI series win on Sri Lankan soil.
