Pakistan penalised for slow over-rate for fourth time in five ODIs

Pakistan have been fined for maintaining a slow over-rate for a third game in a row after they were found to be one over short in the third ODI against New Zealand in Hamilton.

They have been fined 5% their match fees to round up what was a dismal tour of New Zealand, where they lost the T20I series 4-1 and the ODIs 3-0. This is the fourth time in the last five ODIs that Pakistan have been guilty of maintaining a slow over-rate. They were also fined 5% of their match fees in the 2025 Champions Trophy opener against New Zealand in Karachi.

Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan pled guilty to the charge levelled by the on-field umpires Chris Brown and Paul Reiffel along with the third umpire Michael Gough and fourth umpire Wayne Knights.

The sanction was imposed by Jeff Crowe, the match referee, 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, for which players are fined 5% of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time after the time allowances are taken into consideration.

After losing the T20I series, they lost the opening ODI in Napier by 73 runs. In that match, they were found two overs short and fined. In the second ODI, Pakistan went down by 84 runs. Batting first, New Zealand racked up 292 for 8 and then bowled out the hosts for 208. They were docked 5% of their match fee after this game as well.

In the third ODI in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand scored 264 for 8 in the rain-affected 42-overs-a-side clash. In reply, Babar Azam scored a fifty but Ben Sears' five-wicket haul restricted Pakistan to 221 in 40 overs. There was also an altercation between Khushdil Shah and spectators during the match, which led to the ejection of two spectators from the venue.