The International Cricket Council (ICC) have fined Team India 40 per cent of their match fee for slow over rate in the 4th T20I against New Zealand at Wellington on Friday. Skipper Virat Kohli pleaded guilty to the offence and has ratified the punishment, avoiding a formal hearing on this case. Chris Brown and Shaun Haig, the umpires of the fixture along with third umpire Ashley Mehrotra levelled the charges, the ICC said in a official statement.
“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.” ICC said in their media release.
The 4th T20I saw the Men in Blues and the Kiwis play their second Super Over; as the guests yet again emerged victorious in a thrilling contest at the Basin Reserve on January 31st. Both India and New Zealand scored 165 in their 20 overs quota as the match went to Super Over twice within 3 days. Batting first, Martin Guptill, Colin Munro and Ross Taylor put up 13 in 6 balls which India chased down easily.
Virat Kohli and his boys now take an unassailable 4-0 lead in the 5-match series and are keen to whitewash the hosts, a feat never achieved by any Indian team before.
Meanwhile, New Zealand have never been whitewashed in a bilateral T20I series (three or more matches) at home, something they are desperate to hold on to.
But even after this commanding performance, India will still remain on the fifth spot in the ICC T20I rankings behind Pakistan, Australia, England and South Africa.
The final T20I between will be played in Mount Maunganui on Sunday February 2nd. India will then take on the hosts in a 3-match ODI series with the first match scheduled to be played at Seddon Park, Hamilton on 5th February.
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