England Penalized for Slow Over Rate Despite Dramatic Win at Lord’s

In a dramatic twist following England’s nail-biting 22-run victory over India in the third Test at Lord’s, the hosts have been docked two points in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) standings for maintaining a slow over rate. The penalty drops England from second to third place on the WTC table, reducing their tally from 24 to 22 points and lowering their percentage from 66.67% to 61.11%.

The fine print of the punishment stems from Article 16.11.2 of the WTC playing conditions, which mandates a one-point deduction for each over short after time allowances. England was also fined 10% of their match fees. Captain Ben Stokes accepted the ruling without protest, eliminating the need for a formal hearing.

The third Test itself was a fiery spectacle. With both sides scoring identical first-innings totals of 387, the match boiled down to a tense fourth-innings chase. India, needing 193 for victory, fought deep into the final session, bolstered by lower-order resistance led by Ravindra Jadeja. However, Shoaib Bashir—bowling with a fractured finger—sealed the win for England by dramatically dismissing Mohammed Siraj.

Despite the triumph, England’s celebrations were tempered by the penalty and the loss of Bashir for the remainder of the series. He will be replaced by Liam Dawson for the fourth Test, set to begin July 23 at Old Trafford.