According to the ICC Playing Conditions, India can face WTC over-rate penalties but not Australia for the recently concluded drawn Test match at the Gabba.
After the Brisbane Test match petered out to a draw, the PCT marginally reduced for both Australia (who are now on 58.89) and India (55.88). However, they continued to occupy the second and third positions on the WTC 2023-25 points table (behind South Africa); and unless something extremely low-probability happens, exactly one of them is likely to join South Africa in the final at Lord’s.
Read: WTC final scenarios: How does the India-Australia Gabba draw affect the final race?
What might have helped Australia at the Gabba
India bowled 117.1 overs in Australia’s first innings of 445 and 18 in the second-innings of 89-7. Of these 135.1 overs, they hurried through 23 thanks to Ravindra Jadeja, reputed for having one of the highest over rates in the world, but the remaining 112.1 overs were bowled by the seamers – Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, and Nitish Kumar Reddy.
Between the two Australian innings, India were bowled out for 260 in 78.5 overs. Yet again, the spinners – Nathan Lyon and Travis Head – shared only 24.5 of these: in other words, there were 54 overs of pace.
It is not clear whether any of the sides had fallen behind on over rates. If they had, only one of them is likely to face a penalty.
Section 12.9.4.1 of the WTC 2023-25 Playing Conditions states: “If the fielding team bowls out the batting team in 80 overs or less in any particular innings and the Minimum Over Rate requirement for that innings has not been exceeded (taking into account all of the time allowances described above), no account shall be taken of the actual over rate in that innings when calculating the actual over rate at the end of such Match.”
Since Australia bowled out India seven balls before the 80-over mark, they will not be penalised irrespective of the over rate.
What about India? Section 12.9.4.2 adds: “If the fielding team bowls out the batting team twice and has not completed more than 160 overs in total across both of its fielding innings, no sanction may be imposed in respect of a breach.”
India took longer than 80 overs to bowl out Australia in the first innings. In all, they bowled fewer than 160 overs, but they failed to bowl out Australia twice. They fell three wickets short (two, if the injured Josh Hazlewood did not bat – but that is of little consequence here).
Have the ICC penalised India?
There has been no announcement yet from the ICC. However, since Australia and India are as good as competing for one spot, Australia will benefit from any penalties to India.
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