Team India fined 20 percent match fees for slow over rate during 1st ODI against West Indies

Team India's captain Shikhar Dhawan has pleaded guilty to the offence.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has imposed a 20 percent penalty on match fees on Team India for maintaining a slow over rate during the first ODI of the series against West Indies. India captain Shikhar Dhawan has accepted the fine. “India have been fined 20 per cent of their match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate against the West Indies in the first ODI in Port of Spain on Friday,” the statement from ICC read.

Team India players in action (AP)

"Richie Richardson of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees imposed the sanction after India were 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 fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time.”

The first ODI ended in a thrilling victory for India, as the visitors clinched a 3-run win in Port of Spain. After posting a strong score of 308/7, India held their nerve as Mohammed Siraj bowled a brilliant final over, successfully defending 15 runs. Earlier, Dhawan, Shubman Gill, and Shreyas Iyer scored half-centuries as India went past the 300-run mark in the game.

A majority of first-team stars including Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah among others are resting for the ODI series against the Windies. In addition, Kohli, Bumrah, and Yuzvendra Chahal will also remain absent for the five-match T20I series, that follows the fifty-over games.

In the second ODI of the series on Sunday, West Indies captain Nicholas Pooran won the toss and opted to bat. India made one change as Avesh Khan made his ODI debut, replacing fellow pacer Prasidh Krishna.