DUBAI: India were on Tuesday penalised two ICC World Test Championship points for maintaining slow over-rate against England in the rescheduled fifth Test in Birmingham, which has led to them dropping behind arch rivals Pakistan in the points table.
India are now fourth in the WTC table behind Australia (84 points and 77.78 percentage points), South Africa (60 points, 71.43 percentage points) and Pakistan (44 points and 52.38 percentage points).
The table is prepared on the basis of percentage points and hence despite being second in terms of actual points, India have now slipped to fourth place.
After being docked two points, India -- who have played 12 games with six wins, four losses and two draws -- have 75 points (docked five WTC points) but in terms of percentage points, they are a poor fourth with 52.08.
Percentage points are calculated on the basis of actual points won divided by total points on offer and multiplied by 100.
A Test match win has 12 points, while a draw and a tie give four and six points respectively.
India, having won six and drawn two, got 80 points but also lost five points on various counts.
ICC match referee David Boon imposed the sanction after India were ruled to be two overs short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration.
India were also fined 40 per cent of their match fee.
England won the match by seven wickets to level the series 2-2. The series spilled over to this year due to COVID-19 cases in the Indian camp last year.
"In accordance with Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to minimum over-rate offences, players are fined 20 per cent of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time," the ICC said in a statement.
"In addition, as per Article 16.11.2 of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) playing conditions, a side is penalised one point for each over short. Consequently, two WTC points have been deducted from India's points total."
India stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing.
On-field umpires Aleem Dar and Richard Kettleborough, third umpire Marais Erasmus and fourth umpire Alex Wharf levelled the charge.
