Pakistan lose five WTC points, face fine for slow over-rate against South Africa

Shan Masood (Pic: AFP)

The ICC has fined Pakistan players 25 percent of their match fee and docked the team five World Test Championship points for maintaining a slow over-rate against South Africa in the second Test at Newlands.

South Africa, which will take on Australia in the WTC final at Lord's in June, swept Pakistan 2-0 in the series with a 10-wicket win inside four days in the second Test.

The ICC said in a statement that match referee Richie Richardson of the West Indies imposed the sanction after 'Pakistan was ruled to be five overs short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration'.

According to the ICC code of conduct, players are fined five percent of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time. The teams are also penalized one WTC point for each over-short.

The ICC also said that Pakistan captain Shan Masood accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing.

Pakistan is at No. 8 in the points table just above last-placed West Indies.

South Africa secured their place in the one-off final with a commanding performance in the first Test against Pakistan in Centurion.

This win marked the culmination of a successful campaign in the 2023-25 WTC cycle, during which the Proteas won eight out of 12 Tests. Their dominant 10-wicket triumph over Pakistan in the final Test of the series sealed a 2-0 victory and confirmed their top position on the nine-team points table.

The highly anticipated World Test Championship Final is set to take place at Lord's from June 11 to 16.

With a ten-wicket victory in the second Test, South Africa finished with 69.44 per cent of possible points across the cycle for table-topping bragging rights, with fellow finalist Australia (63.73 per cent of possible points) unable to eclipse the figure even with a clean sweep victory in their upcoming series against Sri Lanka.