Pakistan’s men’s cricket team just lifted the tri-series trophy in a thrilling victory over Sri Lanka, but the celebration was quickly followed by a five percent match fee fine for a slow over-rate during Saturday’s final in Lahore. This isn’t some small thing, an ICC statement confirmed it was a breach of Article 2.22, related to minimum over-rate offenses. They were literally one over short, even after all time allowances.
Captain Shaheen Afridi Takes the Hit as Umpires Level Charges
Match Referee Jeff Crowe made the call, finding the hosts guilty of the slow pace. On-field umpires Ahsan Raza and Wayne Knights, along with third umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid and fourth umpire Rashid Riaz, were the ones who leveled the charge. Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi, to his credit, pled guilty to the offense and accepted the sanction right away. It’s a tough pill to swallow after a huge win, but the rules are the rules. You can’t be out there celebrating while also being behind on the clock.
The Epic Chase That Almost Made Everyone Forget the Penalty
Despite the fine, let’s not forget the absolute spectacle Pakistan put on to claim that trophy. They were chasing a massive 326 runs against Sri Lanka, and they pulled it off, hitting 331 for seven with nine balls left. Fakhar Zaman was the absolute hero, smashing 127 off just 99 deliveries for his 12th ODI century. He got crucial support from Saad Baig, who dropped 74 off 75 balls, as they had to rescue the team after early dismissals of Maaz Sadaqat (5 off 7) and, yep, a goose egg from Babar Azam (0 off 5). When Zaman finally fell, Arafat Minhas stepped up with a decisive 61 off only 31 deliveries, including four sixes and four boundaries, to bring it home. Shaheen Afridi, after pleading guilty to the over-rate issue, sealed the victory with a six. Sri Lanka’s Kamindu Mendis had put up 131 and Pavan Rathnayake added 77, getting them to 325 for eight, but it just wasn’t enough. What a comeback.
But Seriously, What’s Up With Babar Azam’s Bat?
Amidst all the celebration and the fine, the whispers around star batter Babar Azam are getting louder, and honestly, they’re starting to scream. He scored that dreadful 0 off 5 balls in the final, a truly shocking flop during a crucial run chase. Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf didn’t hold back, advising Babar to literally “go to Australia or South Africa” to get specialized help for his batting technique. Yousuf said playing first-class cricket alone won’t fix this prolonged slump. One century in three years in ODIs? That’s not the Babar we know. He’s already been dropped from the T20 format, and with 20 ODI hundreds in his career, serious doubts are now arising over his place in the white ball squads for next year’s World Cup. He’s got to show a huge reversal in form and attitude to make that squad. He is slated to play a first-class match for Lahore in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy starting November 3 to prep for the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka from November 9. Will that be enough to turn the tide? The whole cricket world is watching.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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