Team India fined for maintaining slow over-rate in Raipur ODI against South Africa
Team India won the three-match ODI series against South Africa 2-1, with the Men in Blue proving to be too good in the decider in Vizag on Saturday, December 6. India lost in Raipur in the second ODI, and not just the defeat, the ICC had another bad news waiting for the Men in Blue after the series.
The Indian team has been fined 10 per cent of their match fee for the second ODI against South Africa in Raipur, after maintaining a slow over-rate on December 3. The ICC confirmed that the match referee, Richie Richardson, imposed the sanction after the Men in Blue were found to be two overs short of the required target. Each of the players was fined five per cent of their match fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time if sanctioned.
"Richie Richardson of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees imposed the sanction after KL Rahul’s side was ruled to be two overs short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration," the ICC statement read. "Therefore, India was charged 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.
"As stand-in skipper, KL Rahul pled guilty to the charge and accepted the sanction; there was no need for a formal hearing," the ICC further said in the statement.
Rahul, who was captaining India after nearly two years, did the job well, winning the series 2-1; however, he did take some extra time in the second ODI in setting fields and his interactions with the bowlers, given how rampaging South Africa got in the latter half of the chase.
Aiden Markram controlled the chase with a century before the likes of Dewald Brevis, Marco Jansen and Corbin Bosch made it hell for the Indian bowlers in the latter half of the innings and eventually ended up chasing down 359 runs. Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, and Ravindra Jadeja, most of the Indian bowlers went the distance and because of dew, they lacked control and the Proteas batters cashed in.
India finally won the toss in the third and final ODI, breaking their 20-match toss-losing streak in the format and the Men in Blue were able to bowl South Africa out for just 271 and the top three of Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli finished things off in style to take India to a series win, which India desperately sought after 0-2 whitewash in the Tests.