India fined for slow over-rate in second women's T20I against England

India have been fined 20 per cent of their match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate against England in the second women’s T20I in Hove.

Phil Whitticase of the Emirates ICC International Panel of Match Referees imposed the sanction after Harmanpreet Kaur’s side was ruled to be one over short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration.

In accordance with 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 20 per cent of their match fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time.

Kaur pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing.

On-field umpires Ian Blackwell and Paul Baldwin, third umpire Sue Redfern and fourth umpire Tim Robinson levelled the charge.

India draw the equaliser

Parking aside the fines due to slow over rates, Team India had a memorable outing in the match on Sunday, July 11 at the County Ground. Kaur and Co won the game by eight runs to level the series 1-1 with one game left on Wednesday, July 14 at the County Ground in Chelmsford.

After being put in to bat first, India got off to a flying start. Opening batters Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma stitched together a partnership of 70 runs off only 53 balls. Freya Davies got rid of Mandhana for 20 to separate the duo, which was threatening to take the game away from the hosts.

Verma top-scored for the Women in Blue, having scored 48 runs off 38 balls with eight fours and one six. Harmanpreet and Deepti Sharma also got useful scores, taking India to 148 in 20 overs. The hosts didn’t make a great start to their run-chase as Danielle Wyatt and Nat Sciver got out early.

But Tammy Beaumont and Heather Knight’s 75-run stand for the third wicket brought England back into the game. Beaumont went on to score 59 runs off 50 balls with seven fours, but her knock vent in vain. Indian spinners- Deepti and Poonam Yadav- picked wickets and put a brake on the scoring in the death overs.