Misbah receives one-match suspension for slow over-rate

Christchurch [New Zealand], Nov.21 (ANI):Pakistan Test skipper Misbah-ul-Haq has been suspended for one match and fined 40 per cent of his match fee because of a slow over-rate during the opening Test against New Zealand, which the hosts went on to win by eight wickets at the Hagley Oval here on Sunday. Meanwhile, the rest of the players have been fined 20 per cent of their match fees for the same. Richie Richardson of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees imposed the suspension on Misbah after Pakistan was ruled to be two overs short of its target of 103 overs after time allowances were taken into consideration. In accordance with Article 2.5.1 and Appendix 2 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Players Support Personnel, which deals with minor over-rate offences, players are fined 10 per cent of their match fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time, with the captain fined double that amount. As Misbah had previously been found guilty of a minor over-rate offence during The Oval Test against England in August 2016, this offence constituted his second minor over-rate offence within a 12-month period. As a result, Misbah will miss the second and final Test against the Kane Williamson-led side beginning on November 25 at the Seddon Park in Hamilton. The charge was laid by on-field umpires Ian Gould and S.Ravi of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires, third umpire Simon Fry of the Emirates International Panel of ICC Umpires, and fourth official Shaun Haig.(ANI)