LAHORE: Zimbabwe suffered a big blow on Wednesday when the International Cricket Council (ICC) suspended their in-form captain Elton Chigumbura for slow over-rate, ruling him out of the remaining two ODIs of the ongoing series in Pakistan.

“Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura has been suspended for two One-day Internationals for maintaining a slow over-rate during his side’s first ODI against Pakistan in Lahore on Tuesday,” an ICC press release announced late on Wednesday.

“The Zimbabwe side was ruled to be three overs short of its target at the end of the match when time allowances were taken into consideration,” the release added.

“As such, ICC remote match referee Roshan Mahanama handed Chigumbura two suspension points while each of his players received a 40 per cent fine (10 per cent for each of the first two overs and 20 per cent for the third over), as required in Appendix 2 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel which deals with minimum over-rate requirements, calculations, reporting, disciplinary process and sanctions,” the ICC release further explains.

“According to Articles 7.4.1 and 7.5.3 of the Code, the imposition of two suspension points means that Chigumbura will now miss Zimbabwe’s final two ODIs to be played in Lahore on Friday and Sunday.

Zimbabwe captain penalised for slow over-rate

“The offence is contrary to Article 2.5.2 of the Code which relates to serious over-rate offences only and reads: ‘where the actual over-rate in any Test match or any other international match of at least four days in duration is more than five overs short of the minimum over-rate, or, in any ODI, T20 International or any other international match of fifty (50) or twenty (20) overs per side, is more than two overs short of the minimum over-rate, such an offence shall be considered a “Serious Over Rate Offence”.

“The charges were levelled by on-field umpires Aleem Dar and Russell Tiffin, third umpire Ahmed Shahab and reserve umpire Shozab Raza,” the ICC stated.

“Chigumbura pleaded guilty to the charge and the subsequent penalties were accepted without the need for a formal hearing.

“If Chigumbura is found guilty of a second serious over-rate offence in an ODI over the next 12 months, he will receive a sanction of between two and eight suspension points as per the provisions of the Code,” the ICC warns.

Meanwhile, Dawn learnt that TV umpire Ahmed Shahab had informed field umpires Aleem Dar and Russel Tiffin several times to convey to the Zimbabwe captain that he was running behind in completing his side’s 50 overs within the regulation time.

Even the matter was also conveyed to Zimbabwe coach Dav Whatmore during the match, but nothing happened despite the fact that Chigumbura -- who scored a fighting 117 in Tuesday’s ODI -- was already facing a minor offence, as he had done the same during the 2015 World Cup. His second time offence was taken seriously by the ICC which took a stern decision.

Published in Dawn, May 28th, 2015

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