The International Cricket Council confirmed on October 5, 2026 that both India and West Indies have been sanctioned for slow over-rates during the third and final ODI of their three-match series, held in New Chandigarh on October 3, 2026. India attracted a 20 per cent match-fee deduction, while West Indies received a 10 per cent penalty.
India’s innings fell four overs short of the required rate once all permissible time allowances were applied. West Indies, who batted second, were adjudged two overs short under the same calculation. The five-per-cent-per-over formula set out in Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel meant the two sides faced differing levels of financial penalty.
Match referee Prakash Bhatt, a member of the Emirates ICC International Panel of Match Referees, administered the sanctions. Both captains entered guilty pleas and accepted the proposed fines, removing the need for any formal disciplinary hearing to be convened. The charges were formally levelled by on-field umpires Jayaraman Madanagopal and Sam Nogajski, with third umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid and fourth umpire Virender Sharma also listed as officiating members who brought the matter forward.
Which ICC rule governs the slow over-rate charge?
The charges were framed under Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel. That provision stipulates a five per cent match-fee deduction for each over a team fails to bowl within the time allocated, making the arithmetic straightforward: four overs short equals a 20 per cent fine for India, and two overs short equals a 10 per cent fine for West Indies.
Because both captains chose not to contest the findings, the case was closed without a hearing, and no further procedural steps remain outstanding in relation to these specific charges. The administrative process is therefore fully resolved, with the penalties standing as imposed by Bhatt.
What happened in the match itself?
The third ODI produced a high-scoring contest at the venue in New Chandigarh, also commonly referred to as Mullanpur. India set a challenging total of 351 for 7 in their allotted overs, but West Indies overhauled the target, winning by five wickets to take the final game of the series.
The result meant the match concluded the West Indies tour of India 2026-27 ODI leg on a winning note for the visitors. Slow over-rate sanctions under ICC regulations are assessed independently of the match result, so the outcome of the game had no bearing on the fines imposed. The series itself had already been decided before this final fixture, and the disciplinary findings relate solely to the pace at which each side conducted their bowling innings on the day.
