England have been docked two World Test Championship (WTC) points for maintaining a slow over rate during their tense 22-run win over India in the third Test at Lord’s. The penalty sees England’s tally slip from 24 to 22 points on the WTC table, with their percentage points falling from 66.67% to 61.11%, resulting in a drop from second to third place—now trailing behind Australia and Sri Lanka.
In addition to the points deduction, the England players have been fined 10% of their match fees for failing to complete the required overs in the allotted time. According to Article 16.11.2 of the WTC playing conditions, teams are penalised one point for each over short, once time allowances are taken into account.
Captain Ben Stokes accepted the charge and pleaded guilty, which meant no formal hearing was necessary.
The third Test, which gave England a 2-1 lead in the five-match series, was a dramatic and hard-fought affair, brimming with intensity and personal brilliance. The atmosphere heated up as players frequently found themselves in close confrontations, particularly as the match headed into its final stages.
Jofra Archer delivered one of the fastest spells of his Test career, while Joe Root and KL Rahul both struck memorable centuries. Jasprit Bumrah also stood out with a five-wicket haul. The two sides were neck and neck in the first innings, both scoring exactly 387, turning the contest into a gripping second-innings shootout.
Set 193 to win, India pushed the match into the final session of day five. Vital lower-order partnerships, spearheaded by Ravindra Jadeja alongside Nitish Kumar Reddy, Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, kept the visitors in the hunt until Shoaib Bashir, bowling with a broken finger on his left hand, dismissed Siraj in a dramatic finish that triggered wild celebrations from the home side and heartbreak for India.
In the aftermath of the victory, England have suffered a setback with Bashir ruled out of the remainder of the series due to injury. He has been replaced by Liam Dawson for the fourth Test, which is scheduled to begin at Old Trafford on 23 July.