Pakistan Captain Misbah-Ul-Haq suspended for opening Test
Misbah-ul-Haq has been suspended from opening Test against Sri Lanka due to a slow over-rate during Monday’s one-day international in Colombo.
Misbah-ul-Haq pleaded guilty to a “serious over-rate offence” after his side fell three overs short of completing their target in the required time, as Sri Lanka won by two runs. Misbah will miss the chance to break the Pakistan record for most continuously Tests, which stands at 15.
The ICC confirmed Misbah’s ban, with his team-mates also fined 40% of their match fee, despite it being their first serious over-rate offence in the past year.
The International Cricket Council said, “As this was Pakistan’s first serious over-rate offence in the past 12 months, Chris Broad of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees handed Misbah two suspension points while each of his players received a 40% fine (10% for each of the first two overs and 20% for the additional over)”.
“The imposition of two suspension points means that Misbah-ul-Haq will now miss Pakistan’s first Test against Sri Lanka which starts in Galle from Friday, since such suspension points are to be applied to the subsequent international matches in which Misbah is most likely to participate on a chronological basis immediately following the announcement of the decision”.
The first of the three-Test series begins in Galle on Friday.
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