The thrilling match between India and England in the Lord’s Test kept the cricket fans captivated, but now this match is being discussed for a different reason.
The England team was punished by the ICC for slow over rate, after which former England captain Michael Vaughan raised questions on the ICC itself.
Read Also: BREAKING: England Penalised, Loses WTC Points Despite Lord’s Test Win
What is the matter?
In the third Test played at Lord’s on Monday, Ben Stokes’ England team was punished by the ICC by deducting two World Test Championship (WTC) points for slow over rate.
Also, a fine of 10% of the match fee of the entire team was also imposed. Due to this punishment, England slipped from second to third place in the WTC table.
Their points fell from 24 to 22, and the points percentage (PCT) dropped from 66.67% to 61.11%.
But the real drama started when Michael Vaughan questioned this punishment. He wrote on X,
Let’s be honest both teams over rates at Lords were very very poor .. How only 1 team has been reprimanded is beyond me .. #ENGvsIND”
Vaughan was pointing out that if punishment is being given for slow over rate, then India should also have been a part of it.
His statement started a new debate in the cricket world. Fans and experts are now questioning the ICC rules. Was this punishment really one-sided?
Also Read: IND vs ENG 3rd Test: Former India Coach Reveals Game-Changing Moments at Lord’s, Praises Ben Stokes
What is the ICC rule regarding slow ball?
ICC rules say that if a team does not complete the overs in the stipulated time, then there is a fine of 5% of the match fee for every over and a point is deducted in the WTC.
England was two overs behind, so it had to lose two points. But Vaughan says that India’s over rate was also equally bad, then why was only England targeted?
This is not the first time that England has received such a punishment. They have already been deducted 22 points in the 2023-25 WTC cycle.
On the other hand, despite this defeat, India is trailing 1-2 in the series and the next Test will start on July 23 at Old Trafford.
So is this decision of the ICC really a conspiracy, or just following the rules? Vaughan’s question has further fueled the issue.
