In a gripping final of the tri-series held in Lahore, Pakistan emerged victorious over Sri Lanka but not without repercussions. The Pakistan team has been fined 5% of their match fees for a slow over rate, falling short by one over after considering time allowances.
This decision comes under Article 2.22 of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Code of Conduct, which prescribes a financial penalty for each over not bowled within the allocated time. Pakistan’s captain, Shaheen Shah Afridi, accepted both the charge and the penalty.
Reaching the final was a result of Pakistan’s commendable performance, winning three out of four round-robin matches against both Sri Lanka and England. Pakistan faced a challenging target of 326 in the finale, at the venue that had previously witnessed their batting collapse at 110 against Sri Lanka. However, Fakhar Zaman’s splendid century, combined with solid half-centuries from Saad Baig and Arafat Minhas, led Pakistan to a thrilling three-wicket triumph. This achievement equalled the highest successful chase recorded in a one-day international (ODI) final or any ODI knockout clash.
It was a memorable win, marking Pakistan’s resilience and tenacity on the cricket field.
