The Harmanpreet Kaur-led India women's cricket team has been fined 10 per cent of their match fee for maintaining slow over rate during the third and final ODI of the series against Australia at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi on September 21.
In the high-scoring encounter which saw Australia posting 412 on the board from 47.5 overs, India were found two runs short of the target.
“India were found to be two overs short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration. G.S. Lakshmi of the Emirates ICC International Panel of Match Referees imposed the sanction following this,” the ICC said in a 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 five per cent of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time,” it added.
There was no need for a formal hearing after Harmanpreet pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the slow-over rate sanctions.
India lose in high-scoring affair despite Mandhan’s record-breaking knock
Harmanpreet had to rotate her bowlers as the visitors came hard at them on a batting paradise of a wicket. Batting at no.4, Beth Mooney scored 138 runs from just 75 balls, featuring 23 fours and a six. Georgia Voll (68-ball 81) and Ellyse Perry (72-ball 68) scored fifties whereas other batters contributed with cameos.
In the run chase, Smriti Mandhana stunned the visitors as she smashed 17 fours and five sixes in her 63-ball 125. She smashed the fastest hundred for India in ODIs. Later, Harmanpreet (35-ball 52) and Deepti Sharma's (58-ball 72) fifties vent in vain as India were bowled out for 369 in 47 overs and lost the match by 43 runs.
Warm-up this week, World Cup opener in next
India A would feature in the warm-up game against New Zealand on September 25 ahead of the ICC Women's ODI World Cup 2025. They will look to address their fielding woes in the warm-up fixture. Then, they will begin their World Cup campaign against co-hosts Sri Lanka on September 30 at Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati.