ICC Docks England Two WTC Points for Slow Over-Rate; Ben Stokes Pleads Guilty.
LONDON, England—July 16, 2025: The International Cricket Council has today docked England two crucial World Test Championship points and fined them 10% of the match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate during the third Test against India played at Lord’s. The England captain, Ben Stokes, pleaded guilty to the offense and accepted the sanctions with no provision for a formal hearing, while India escaped any punishment.
The Penalty for the Over-Rate Breach
The penalty was imposed by match referee Richie Richardson from the Emirates ICC Elite Panel after England was adjudged to be two overs short of the target in the third, much-fought test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, taking into consideration the entire time allowance. Under ICC rule, five percent of match fees is deducted for every over not completed in time, and for every over short, one WTC point is deducted.
Ben Stokes Accepted the Penalty
The captain of England, Stokes, readily accepted the penalty. Stokes was named Player of the Match for his all-around performance in England’s 22-run victory. An ICC statement noted, “Stokes pleaded guilty to the offense and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing.” The charge was included by on-field umpires Paul Reiffel and Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, with assistance from TV umpire Ahsan Raza and fourth umpire Graham Lloyd.
Effect on the World Test Championship Standings
The deduction has serious ramifications for England in the 2025-27 ICC World Test Championship standings; their score has now plummeted from 24 to 22 points out of a possible 36, and their point percentage (PCT) has slid down from 66.67% to 61.11%. As such, England dropped from second to third, with Sri Lanka taking the second position with a PCT of 66.67%. Australia remains the front-runner on the list, having a perfect PCT of 100%. After three matches, India is in the fourth position with a third of a PCT, and India is not affected by this penalty.
Context of the Lord’s Test
The third Test at Lord’s was a riveting five-day saga that spooled right to the wire, ending with a mere 22 runs in favor of England on Day 5. While the last moments were no doubt thrilling, the slow overrate caused the imposition of the penalty. This particular event continues to highlight the ICC’s stress on maintaining acceptable over-rates in Test cricket so that matches can finish promptly to maintain engagement for fans on the ground and on television. The fourth test of the series is on July 23 at Manchester, and both teams are now battling not just for the series but for every valuable WTC point.
