Dhoni banned 1 match for slow over rate

Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been suspended for one match after the team was fined for a slow over rate for the second time in a year during the seventh match of the tri-series against Australia here Sunday. Dhoni is set to miss Tuesday’s game against Sri Lanka.

India were ruled to be two overs short of their target at the end of the match when time allowances were taken into consideration.

International Cricket Council (ICC) match referee Andy Pycroft imposed a 40 per cent fine on Dhoni’s match fees while each of his teammate were docked 20 per cent.

The charge was laid by on-field umpires Steve Davis and Billy Bowden besides third umpire Bruce Oxenford and fourth umpire Paul Reiffel.

Dhoni pleaded guilty to the charge and the subsequent penalties were accepted both by Dhoni and India.

India’s over-rate offence came after it was fined for a slow over-rate in the World Cup final against Sri Lanka in Mumbai April 2.

Dhoni was also handed over a similar suspension during the Test series in Australia.

The ICC Executive Board had discussed the issue of slow over-rates in June and accepted the recommendation of the ICC Cricket Committee that a captain of an international side should be suspended for one match if his side is guilty of two minor over-rate offences in the same format over a 12-month period.