Virat Kohli's India bowl 4 over short against New Zealand, fined 80 per cent fee in Hamilton ODI

India, who lost the first One-Day International against New Zealand in Hamilton on Wednesday (February 5, 2020), were also fined 80 per cent of their match fee for slow over-rate. India captain Virat Kohli pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing.

The fine is the third successive time that Team India has been penalised for slow over-rate. India were docked 40 per cent of their match fee after falling short of the target by two overs in the fourth T20 International at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington and then had to face a penalty of 20-per cent match fee in the fifth and final T20I at Mount Maunganui on Sunday (February 2, 2020).

ICC Elite Panel of Match Referee Chris Broad imposed the fine on Wednesday after the match ended as India were found to have bowled four overs short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration in the match. 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. Since, India were four overs shot, so the fine came to 80 per cent of the match fee.

On-field umpires Shaun Haig and Langton Rusere, third umpire Bruce Oxenford and fourth umpire Chris Brown levelled the charges.

New Zealand won the high-scoring match by four wickets to register their first win of the series after getting whitewashed 0-5 in the T20Is. India batted first and put up a formidable 347 in 50 overs for the loss of four wickets after New Zealand won the toss. Shreyas Iyer scored his first ODI century (103) while KL Rahul chipped in with 88 not out.

New Zealand came back strongly and despite a minor hiccup succeeded in registering their highest run-chase against India by achieving the target with 11 balls to spare. Ross Taylor's brilliant 109 won him the man of the match award.