Explained! Why Extra Points Deducted From Pakistan's Tally in WTC?

Pakistan's chances to make it into the ongoing edition of World Test Championship Final suffered a massive blow when they lost the first Test of the two-match series against Bangladesh at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, one of the best cricket stadiums in the world. The Men in Green had their chances in the match but were unable to beat the hosts.

If the defeat wasn't enough, Pakistan have suffered another blow as some of their extra points have been deducted from the World Test Championship (WTC) table. This comes as a major loss to them and will hurt their chances of making it to the WTC final 2027.

Why Pakistan Lost WTC Points?

Pakistan WTC points deduction happened due to their slow over rate during the PAK vs BAN 1st Test at Dhaka. They have also been fined 40 percent of their match fees for this offence.

After the Pakistan slow over rate incident, they are now placed at the 8th spot, above West Indies, with 4 points in the WTC points table. According to ICC, Pakistan were found 8 overs short of the target, which led to them being penalised. The sanction was imposed by the match referee Jeff Crowe.

According to Article 16.11.2 of the World Test Championship playing conditions, teams lose one point for each over short. It has resulted in Pakistan being docked eight points in the WTC table, which can prove to be crucial in the end.

Pakistan captain Shan Masood accepted the sanctions, thus, there was no need for a formal hearing on the matter. The charge was applied by the on-field umpires Kumar Dharmasena and Richard Kettleborough, along with the third umpire Allahuddien Palekar.

Disappointing Result For Pakistan

It was a disappointing result for Pakistan as they are trailing 0-1 in the series. However, there were plenty of positives as well. Veteran pacer Mohammad Abbas, one of the best Test bowlers, picked up a brilliant five-wicket haul. Meanwhile the young batters, Azan Awais and Abdullah Fazal, played magnificently on their debut.

The next match of the series will be played in Sylhet from May 16. It will be an important game for the Men in Green as they aim to level the series. Pakistan faced a lot of criticism after the first Test loss and will be looking to make a comeback.