Pakistan in danger of slipping to 0 points in WTC table after latest sanction

The England tour has ended, but Pakistan are still paying for it. The ramifications of a miserable series continued to follow Pakistan as the International Cricket Council deducted 11 World Test Championship points from their tally on Monday for maintaining a slow over-rate in the third Test at Edgbaston, Birmingham.

Pakistan were ruled to have bowled 11 overs short of the required rate after time allowances were taken into consideration. They were also fined 50 per cent of their players' match fees, the maximum penalty allowed under the ICC Code of Conduct. Match referee Ranjan Madugalle of the ICC Elite Panel imposed the sanction. Pakistan captain Babar Azam pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed punishment, meaning there was no need for a formal hearing.

The deduction leaves Pakistan with just five points from nine Tests in the current World Test Championship cycle. They have slipped to ninth place with a points percentage of 4.63.

It is another blow for a team whose England tour had already brought plenty of turmoil. Pakistan's third Test summed up a chaotic England tour. They were bowled out for 133 in the first innings at Edgbaston, but fought back to set England a target of 130 before losing by eight wickets to complete a 3-0 series defeat. The defeat came after wholesale changes following the first two Tests, with seven players sent home and head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul removed from their roles. The Pakistan Cricket Board also launched an internal disciplinary enquiry into reports concerning discipline and conduct during the tour.

The damage has now extended to the WTC table.

Pakistan have won only two of their nine Tests, with each victory worth 12 points. They have also suffered the cost of over-rate penalties, which are deducted separately from the points earned through results. Under the WTC playing conditions, a team earns 12 points for a win, four for a draw and six for a tie.

The latest 11-point deduction is particularly significant given how little Pakistan have accumulated from nine matches. Their hopes of qualifying for the WTC final are now all but over. Pakistan are rooted to the bottom of the standings, 91 points behind leaders Australia. Screengrab from ICC website. HOW DOES THE ICC RULE WORK?

The penalty stems from Article 16.11.2 of the WTC playing conditions, under which a team loses one championship point for every over it is short of the required rate.

The financial penalty was imposed under Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct. Players are fined five per cent of their match fee for every over their team falls short, with the total penalty capped at 50 per cent.

Pakistan have therefore paid the maximum possible fine in match fees and lost 11 points from their WTC tally.

Babar Azam's men will next face Sri Lanka in a two-Test series in November in Lahore and Karachi.- EndsPublished By: Akshay RameshPublished On: Sep 14, 2026 13:36 IST