Pakistan’s World Test Championship campaign took another hit after they were docked five points for a slow over rate during their second Test against South Africa in Cape Town. To add to the setback, they were also fined 25% of their match fees. This comes after Pakistan lost to South Africa by 10 wickets during the second Test at Newlands.
What Happened with Pakistan?
Pakistan fell five overs short of their target, even after accounting for time allowances. The penalty was imposed by match referee Richie Richardson. Pakistan’s captain Shan Masood accepted the charge without contesting it, making a formal hearing unnecessary. Umpires Kumar Dharmasena, Nitin Menon, Alex Wharf, and Stephen Harris were responsible for identifying the shortfall.
The WTC rules are clear. Teams lose one point for every over they miss. This isn’t the first time Pakistan has faced such a penalty. In fact, it’s their third deduction in the ongoing 2023-25 WTC cycle.
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Pakistan’s Points Tally So Far
Pakistan’s slow over rate has cost them valuable points. They lost two points after their first Test against Australia in Perth in December 2023. Then, in August 2024, they were docked six points during their Rawalpindi Test against Bangladesh.
Following the latest deduction, Pakistan now sits with 35 points from 12 Tests. Without these penalties, they could have had 48. Their percentage of points contested has dropped from 27.78% to 24.31%. While they remain in eighth place, they’re only marginally ahead of West Indies, who are at the bottom with 24.24%.
Pakistan will host West Indies for two Tests in Karachi and Multan, starting January 16. They need a clean sweep against West Indies to improve their standings. Even then, they won’t qualify for the final. Australia and South Africa have already qualified for the World Test Championship Final. They will at Lord’s in June.
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