Team India fined 20 per cent of match fee for slow over-rate in final T20I against New Zealand

Dubai: India's triumph over New Zealand in the fifth and final T20 International against New Zealand at Mount Maunganui on Sunday (February 2, 2020) was marred by the news of the International Cricket Council (ICC) penalising the Men in Blue 20 per cent of their match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate. Chris Broad of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees imposed the sanction after India were ruled to be one over 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," the ICC said in a statement.

India stand-in captain Rohit Sharma pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing. On-field umpires Chris Brown and Shaun Haig and third umpire Ashley Mehrotra levelled the charge.

India won the match by seven runs on Sunday to complete a rare 5-0 series whitewash over New Zealand in the shortest format of the game even though regular captain Virat Kohli did not play the last match of the series and stand-in skipper Rohit Sharma retired hurt due to a calf injury after scoring 60 runs. Rohit Sharma has been ruled out of the remaining part of the series due to the injury.

This is the second successive time that Virat Kohli's men have been fined for slow over-rate. On Saturday, the Indian team was docked 40 per cent of its match fee after falling short of the target by two overs in the fourth T20 International at the Westpack Stadium.

India will also play three One Day Internationals, a practice game against New Zealand XI and two Test matches against the host team.