Zimbabwe Skipper Elton Chigumbura suspended for two ODIs for maintaining a slow over-rate

Zimbabwe Skipper Elton Chigumbura suspended for two ODIs for maintaining a slow over-rate: Zimbabwe who have been playing some good cricket on their tour to Pakistan but are yet to taste victory on tour, have received a big blow as their skipper Elton Chigumbura has been handed over a two ODIs suspension by the International Cricket Council (ICC) match referee, Roshan Mahanama for maintaining a slow over-rate during the Pakistan v Zimbabwe 1^st ODI at Lahore.

The Match referee found that the Zimbabwe side was three overs short of its target by the end of the match, when the time taken by them to complete their bowling innings was taken into consideration.

Following with the referee decided to give Chigumbura two suspension points, while all other players of the squad had to fill in with a fine of 40 percent of their match fees. The penalties were issued as per the Appendix 2 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which was detailed as (10 percent for each of the first 2 overs and 20 percent for the next, i.e. the delayed third over).

The two suspension points for the skipper means he will now have to sit out from the following two matches for Zimbabwe against Pakistan. The Articles 7.4.1 and 7.5.3 of the Code of Conduct, states that a player who is awarded suspension points, cannot be a part of the squad for two ODI matches.

ICC Stated that:
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 One Day International Match, Twenty20 International Match 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 initial charges for a slow over-rate were mentioned by the on-field umpires Aleem Dar and Russell Tiffin, along with the third umpire Ahmed Shahab and the reserve umpire Shozab Raza. The Zimbabwean skipper was found guilty under the charges filed against him and he accepted the suspension handed to him, thus there was no official hearing conducted.

Though this in itself is a serious punishment but if Chigumbura repeats similar offence in the coming 12 months; as per the Provisions in the ICC Code of Conduct, he will be sanction 2-8 suspension points.