Stand-in captain Upul Tharanga suspended for over-rate offence

Tharanga had been filling in as captain for Angelo Mathews, who did not make it through a fitness test on the morning of the match. The stand-in captain pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, ruling out need for a formal hearing.

Sri Lanka took more than four hours to bowl 50 overs, and match referee David Boon ruled they were short of the target by four overs.

Sri Lanka’s stand-in captain Upul Tharanga has been suspended for his team’s next two Champions Trophy matches after his side was ruled to be four overs short of its target against South Africa on Saturday. David Boon of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees imposed the suspension.

In accordance with Article 2.5.2 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to serious over-rate offences, players were fined 10 per cent of their match fees for the first two overs and 20 per cent of their match fees for the additional overs their side failed to bowl in the allotted time, with the captain also receiving two suspension points.

“As two suspension points equate to a ban from one Test or two ODIs or two T20Is, whatever comes first for the player, Tharanga has been suspended from his side’s upcoming matches against India (at The Oval, 8 June) and Pakistan (at the Cardiff Wales Stadium, 12 June), while each of his players have received a fine of 60 per cent,” an ICC press release said.

Tharanga pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, ruling out need for a formal hearing.

The charge was laid by on-field umpires Ian Gould and Aleem Dar, third umpire Paul Reiffel and fourth official Bruce Oxenford, all from the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires.