Dbarta24 Sports Desk – Pakistan’s disappointing Test season took a severe turn for the worse after the International Cricket Council (ICC) docked 11 World Test Championship (WTC) points from the team following their recent slow over-rate during the third Test against England.
The heavy penalty, coupled with England’s 3-0 series whitewash, has plunged Pakistan to the bottom of the World Test Championship table with an unprecedentedly low point total.
Match Referee Ranjan Madugalle imposed the severe disciplinary action based on reports submitted by the field umpires.
According to the ICC statement, Shan Masood’s side fell 11 overs short of the target time frame even after all allowance considerations were calculated. Under ICC regulations, teams lose one WTC point for every over they fall short, alongside a financial penalty for the players.
Alongside the point deduction, every member of the playing squad was fined 50 percent of their individual match fee—the maximum allowable match-fee penalty under current ICC playing rules.
This decision severely undermines Pakistan’s current World Test Championship campaign. Out of nine matches played in this cycle, Pakistan has managed just two victories while suffering seven defeats.
Cumulative over-rate offenses throughout the cycle have cost the team 19 penalty points. This latest 11-point deduction slashes their total accumulated points to a mere 5, dropping their point percentage (PCT) to a historic low of 4.63%. According to the ICC, this represents the lowest points tally and point percentage recorded by any team in the history of the World Test Championship.
The dual blow of an on-field series sweep by England and substantial penalties from the governing body leaves Pakistan’s Test cricket setup in crisis. Depleted of points and facing a historic low in global standings, the national side faces an uphill struggle to rebuild credibility and recover lost ground in the current WTC cycle.