Misbah suspended from Galle Test for slow over-rate in final ODI

Colombo, Jun 20 (ANI): 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 R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on 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, ICC Match Referee Chris Broad handed Misbah two suspension points while each of his players received a 40-per-cent fine (10 per cent for each of the first two overs and 20 per cent for the additional over), as required by Appendix 2 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel which deals with minimum over rate requirements, calculations, reporting, disciplinary process and sanctions.

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, since such suspension points are to be applied to the subsequent international matches in which Misbah is most likely to participate on a chronological basis immediately following the announcement of the decision.

On-field umpires Paul Reiffel and the home country umpire Ranmore Martinesz as well as third umpire Ruchira Palliyaguruge and fourth umpire Nilan de Silva laid the charge.

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

Sri Lanka posted a thrilling two-wicket victory over Pakistan in the fifth and final one-day international in Colombo on Monday to clinch the series 3-1. (ANI)