Misbahul Haq suspended from Test he wasn’t going to play

Pakistan team committed their second minor over-rate offence in 12-month period against NZ

Pakistan Test captain Misbahul Haq was suspended for one Test match and fined 40 per cent of match fees after his side maintained a slow over-rate during the eight-wicket loss to New Zealand in Christchurch on Sunday.

This was 42-year-old’s second minor over-rate offence in a span of 12 months. Earlier, Pakistan were found guilty of a similar offence in the last Test against England at The Oval.

“Richie Richardson of the Emirates Elite Panel of International Cricket Council (ICC) Match Referees imposed the suspension on Misbah after Pakistan were ruled to be two overs short of its target of 103 overs after time allowances were taken into consideration,” read an ICC media release.

Apart from the captain, the players were also fined 20 per cent of their match fee.

Misbah, under the suspension, will have to miss the second Test against New Zealand which starts on Friday in Hamilton.

However, the Test captain was already ruled out of the game because he had to attend to his ailing father-in-law.

ICC’s rule pertaining to minor over-rate offence

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.