Pakistan’s national cricket team has been fined for a third consecutive slow over-rate offence during the recently concluded ODI series against New Zealand, compounding the disappointment of a 3-0 series defeat.
The latest penalty was handed down following the third and final ODI at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on April 5, where the Mohammad Rizwan-led side was found to be one over short of the target after time allowances.
The players have been docked five percent of their match fees under Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which addresses minimum over-rate requirements.
The sanction was imposed by match referee Jeff Crowe of the ICC Elite Panel after the over-rate violation was confirmed by on-field umpires Chris Brown and Paul Reiffel, along with third umpire Michael Gough and fourth umpire Wayne Knights.
Captain Mohammad Rizwan accepted the charge, avoiding the need for a formal hearing.
This marks the third fine for Pakistan in as many matches during the ODI leg of the tour, highlighting ongoing concerns about the team’s match discipline.
The punishment also comes on the heels of a poor overall performance by the Men in Green, who ended the tour with just one win across eight matches—losing the T20I series 4-1 and suffering a 3-0 whitewash in the ODIs.
Pakistan’s only victory came in the second T20I, thanks to a brilliant century from Hasan Nawaz. In contrast, the ODI series saw no standout batting performances, as Pakistan failed to mount a serious challenge in any of the three matches.
The repeated over-rate infractions raise further questions about the team’s on-field management and tactical execution as they prepare for upcoming international commitments.
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