Why Did India Get Fined for Slow Over-Rate in the First Match of Sri Lanka Women's Tri-Series?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- India fined five percent for slow over-rate.
- Captain Harmanpreet Kaur accepted the penalty.
- Pratika Rawal led with an unbeaten 50 in the opening match.
- Sneh Rana's bowling was pivotal in subsequent games.
- India remains unbeaten after two matches.
Dubai, April 29 (NationPress) India has been penalized with a five percent deduction from their match fees due to a slow over-rate during the opening encounter against Sri Lanka in the Women’s Tri-series held in Colombo on Sunday. The sanction was enforced by Vanessa de Silva, a member of the ICC International Panel of Match Referees, after it was determined that India fell one over short of the required target when time allowances were factored in.
The ICC stated, "As per Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, teams are fined five percent of their match fee for each over bowled in excess of the allotted time due to slow over-rate offenses."
Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur acknowledged the infraction and accepted the penalty, thus eliminating the need for a formal hearing.
The charge was brought forth by on-field umpires Anna Harris and Nimali Perera, along with third umpire Lyndon Hannibal and fourth umpire Dedunu de Silva.
India commenced the tournament with a commanding nine-wicket victory over Sri Lanka, where Pratika Rawal scored an unbeaten 50, supported by Smriti Mandhana and Harleen Deol, who contributed 43 and 48 not out respectively, successfully chasing down 148 runs in just 29.4 overs.
With Sneh Rana taking 3 wickets for 31 runs and both Deepti Sharma and Shree Charani claiming two wickets each, Sri Lanka was bowled out for 147 in 38.1 overs.
In their next outing, India maintained their winning streak with a thrilling 15-run victory over South Africa at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Tuesday, marking their second consecutive win in the Sri Lanka tri-series. India mounted a remarkable comeback after South Africa established a 140-run opening partnership, largely thanks to the consistent performance of Sneh Rana.
Pratika Rawal scored 78, while Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues added 41 each, setting a competitive total of 276/6 in 50 overs. However, the South African team seemed on track as they raced to 140 without losing a wicket.
Yet, Sneh’s pivotal 48th over, which saw her claim three wickets, dramatically altered the match's trajectory and allowed the Women in Blue to defend their total with just enough cushion to remain unbeaten in the series.