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After losing the two-match Test series 0-2 against South Africa, the Pakistan cricket team was penalised 25 per cent of their match fee owing to a slow-over rate in the last match of the series at the Newlands in Cape Town.
Furthermore, five World Test Championships points have been deducted from the team's account after they were ruled to be five overs short of the mark with time allowances taken into consideration. The penalties have been levelled after Pakistan's 10-wicket defeat against the Proteas in the second Test. The sanctions are as per 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. The five WTC points were deducted as per Article 16.11.2 of the ICC World Test Championship playing conditions, which state that a side is penalised one point for each over short. The charges were levied by on-field umpires Kumar Dharmasena and Nitin Menon, third umpire Alex Wharf and fourth umpire Stephen Harris while Richie Richardson of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referee sanctioned the penalties. Pakistan captain Shan Masood accepted the same and pleaded guilty to the offence. Recapping the last Test of the series, Pakistan began Day 4 of the second Test trailing South Africa by 208 runs with nine wickets in hand in their second innings. Unbeaten overnight, Pakistan skipper Shan Masood continued eating away at the South Africa total with help from the Pakistan middle order. However, South Africa managed to eke out the wickets of Khurram Shahzad (18) and Kamran Ghulam (28) in the first session. But the Pakistan innings crumbled in the final session. Keshav Maharaj was South Africa's star, getting the wickets of Rizwan, Salman and Aamer Jamal. When Kagiso Rabada had Mir Hamza dismissed for 16, Pakistan had reached 478, setting the Proteas a modest target of 58. Having been promoted to opener, David Bedingham went all guns blazing at the total and smashed an unbeaten 44 off merely 30 balls as South Africa secured a win in just 43 balls without losing a wicket. Ryan Rickelton was the Player of the Match for his impressive double ton that helped South Africa set a massive first innings total of 615. Pakistan had been bowled out for merely 194 in their first innings, before being asked to follow on. (ANI)
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