West Indies Fined For Breaching ICC Code of Conduct

The West Indies men's cricket team landed itself in some deep trouble during the ongoing five-match T20I series against Australia. The Caribbean side suffered a heartbreaking defeat in the 4th T20I at Werner Park. The fixture saw Glenn Maxwell produce a lightning-fast innings to maintain Australia's perfect win record at 4-0.

Adding insult to injury, the Shai Hope-led side ended up breaching the ICC Code of Conduct for slow over rate during the fourth fixture. As a result, the team was fined a whopping 10 per cent of their match fee. Reon King, the match referee from the ICC International Panel, announced the punishment considering the West Indies were two overs short after multiple time allowances were taken into consideration during the 4th T20I. West Indies slow over rate couldn't help them to a victory either, as they lost in St Kitts by three wickets.

West Indies Fined for Slow Over-Rate in Fourth T20I Against Australia

The WI vs AUS 4th T20I saw Shai Hope's men violate Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel. According to this rule, players are fined five per cent of their match fee for minimum over-rate related offences.
Following West Indies slow over rate charges, captain Shai Hope accepted the punishment. No formal hearing was required since the proposed charge by ICC officials was acknowledged by the West Indies captain. It was imposed by match officials Gregory Brathwaite, Leslie Reifer, third umpire Zahid Bassarath, and fourth umpire Deighton Buttler.

Shai Hope Admits Team Needs to Improve

After the match, Shai Hope spoke at the presentation and admitted that it is tough to defend scores in St. Kitts. He also hailed the way Australia has been batting. Hope also admitted the team didn’t assess the situation well. He also talked about the team’s fielding and noted that it plays a big role in close games. He further added that the team let themselves down with their fielding.
On the other side, Australian captain Mitchell Marsh was pleased with his team’s performance. He praised his bowlers for doing a good job on a batting-friendly pitch. Marsh lauded his team for handling the pressure and taking wickets regularly.

Following the triumph in the 4th T20I, Australia maintained their red-hot form in the final fixture of the bilateral series. The final match was also played at Werner Park in St Kitts. The Caribbean side batted first in the game and set a 170-run total. The target didn't prove enough as Cameron Green anchored Australia's innings with a quick 18-ball 32. His innings ensured the Aussies sailed past the finish line with three wickets and 18 balls to spare. Ben Dwarshuis was awarded the Player of the Match for his 3/41 spell. Green, whereas, took home the Player of the Series crown.