Struggling Sri Lanka lose a valuable point for slow over rate

Sri Lanka simply cannot lose points for laxity on the field

• Third and final ODI at R. Premadasa Stadium today

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Notwithstanding the poor run they are going through in white ball cricket at the moment, Sri Lanka have further compounded their chances of gaining automatic qualification for the 2023 Cricket World Cup by losing a valuable point in the World Cup Super League standings for slow over rate.  

It seems that nothing is going right for Sri Lanka cricket today. On Tuesday, they lost a close ODI contest to India to record their ninth defeat in 10 completed matches for 2021. To make matters worse they have now been fined 20% of their match fees for maintaining a slow over rate in the match.

The ICC media release states: “Sri Lanka have been fined 20% of their match fees for maintaining a slow over rate against India in the second ODI in Colombo on Tuesday. “Ranjan Madugalle of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees imposed the sanction after Dasun Shanaka’s side was ruled to be one over short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration. “In accordance with Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to minimum over rate offences, players are fined 20% of their match fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time.

“In addition, as per Article 16.12.2 of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League Playing Conditions, a side is penalised one point for each over short. Consequently, Sri Lanka will lose one point from their points tally during the Super League.

“Shanaka pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing.

“On-field umpires Kumar Dharmasena and Lyndon Hannibal, third umpire Ruchira Palliyaguruge and fourth umpire Prageeth Rambukwella leveled the charge.”

It is not so much the fine that will hurt Sri Lanka a lot but the fact that they will lose a valuable point from their points tally in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League table where they are languishing second from the bottom with only one win and 9 losses from 11 matches. 

When points are as valuable as gold for Sri Lanka to climb up the ladder and try and finish in the top eight to gain automatic qualification for the 2023 World Cup, losing a point for not showing any awareness on the field is unpardonable.

As it is, Sri Lanka by losing the point will have only 12 in their points tally instead of 13 from their 11 matches. They are also the worst offenders for slow over rates of the 13 countries contesting for automatic qualification, having lost a total of three points for the offence. They lost two points early this year during the ODI series in West Indies. India and South Africa are the other two countries who have lost a point each for slow over rate.    

For a country that does not rely heavily on fast bowling but on spin, Sri Lanka’s offences are a clear indication that their focus is elsewhere and not on cricket, and this needs to be rectified immediately.

If pace-oriented countries like England, Australia, New Zealand, West Indies and even Ireland can bowl their overs within the stipulated time limit, why is it that Sri Lanka with a handful of fast-medium to medium-pace and spin bowlers are finding it difficult to do emulate them?

Sri Lanka will go into today’s third and final ODI against India trying to avoid another 3-0 whitewash, which would leave them without a single point from the series. The confidence that Sri Lanka can gain from the last game is that they gave India a good run and if not for a few mistakes on the field and questionable bowling changes they could have won the contest and gained the 10 points that goes with it.

The batting which has been their bane showed some signs of coming together in the second ODI where two batters completed 50s and Sri Lanka managed to improve although marginally on their total from the first ODI. What they are lacking is how to get out of pressure situations which usually comes with experience. 

India although man to man when compared with Sri Lanka look an inexperienced side, their players have plenty of experience playing under pressure in tight situations in IPL and other matches. This was clearly demonstrated in the second ODI by India’s new ball bowlers Deepak Chahar and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, two players not renowned for their batting, how they pieced together a match-winning partnership of 84 off 87 balls to see their team home, much to the frustration of the Lankans. Sri Lanka are badly in need of a win to add to their points tally in the World Cup Super League where they trail behind countries like Ireland, Afghanistan and Netherlands.