Pakistan captain Misbah suspended from Galle Test

Colombo, June 19 (IANS) Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq has been suspended from this week's Galle Test after his side was found guilty of a serious over-rate offence during the fifth and last ODI against Sri Lanka at the Premadasa Stadium here Monday.

The Pakistan side was ruled to be three overs short of its target at the end of the match when time allowances were taken into consideration.

As this was Pakistan's first serious over-rate offence in the past 12 months, Chris Broad of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees handed Misbah two suspension points.

Besides Misbah, each of his players received a 40 percent fine (10 percent for each of the first two overs and 20 percent for the additional over), as required by Appendix 2 of the ICC Code of Conduct.

According to Articles 7.4.1 and 7.5.3 of the Code, the imposition of two suspension points means that Misbah will now miss Pakistan's first Test against Sri Lanka which starts in Galle from Friday.

The charge was laid by on-field umpires Paul Reiffel and the home country umpire Ranmore Martinesz, both from the ICC umpires panel, as well as third umpire Ruchira Palliyaguruge and fourth umpire Nilan de Silva.

Misbah pleaded guilty to the charge and the subsequent penalties were accepted without the need for a formal hearing.