England Faces Penalties Despite Test Series Victory Against India

In the ongoing Test series between India and England, the English team has taken a 2-1 lead after winning the latest match at Lord's. However, their victory is marred by penalties imposed by the ICC for a slow over rate, resulting in a deduction of match fees and points in the World Test Championship. Captain Ben Stokes has accepted the penalties, which were enforced by the match officials. This situation has caused England's win percentage to drop, affecting their position in the championship standings. Read on to find out more about the implications of these penalties.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jul 16, 2025, 12:47 IST

Overview of the Ongoing Test Series

Currently, a five-match Test series is underway between India and England. The home team, England, has taken a 2-1 lead after winning two matches. The latest Test was held at Lord's, where England secured another victory. However, this win came at a cost, as the English team faced significant penalties.

Penalties Imposed by ICC

Despite their victory, England's standing in the ICC World Test Championship has been adversely affected. The ICC imposed a double penalty on England for maintaining a slow over rate during the Lord's Test, resulting in a deduction of 10% from their match fees. Additionally, two points were removed from their WTC tally, causing their win percentage to drop from 66.67%, which has now pushed them down to second place.

Match Referee's Decision

Richie Richardson, the match referee from the ICC Elite Panel, found England guilty of a slow over rate. The team was two overs behind schedule, leading to the penalties. According to Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which pertains to minimum over-rate offenses, players are fined 5% of their match fees for each over bowled late. Since England failed to bowl two overs on time, they incurred a total fine of 10%.

Captain's Acknowledgment

England's captain, Ben Stokes, has acknowledged the offense and accepted the proposed penalties, eliminating the need for a formal hearing. The on-field umpires, Paul Reiffel and Sharafuddoula Ibn Shahid, along with third umpire Ahsan Raza and fourth umpire Graham Lloyd, were responsible for levying these charges against the team.