Sri Lanka have been fined 10 percent of their match fees by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for keeping a slow over-rate against South Africa at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi, India on Saturday.
The sanction was imposed by Javagal Srinath, a member of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, as the Islanders were two overs short after the referee panel analysed the time allowances during the match, ICC confirmed in a press release on Sunday.
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 5 per cent of their match fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time.
Sri Lanka's skipper Dasun Shakana accepted the match fine by ICC, ending the need for a formal hearing.
The match referees Richard Illingworth and Shahid Saikat, third umpire Michael Gough, and fourth umpire Alex Wharf levelled the charge.
It must be noted that despite a great fightback by the Lankan batters during their massive 429-run chase, Shanaka's men couldn't pull off the impossible and were handed a massive defeat.
Batting first, South Africa set a gargantuan 429-run target for Sri Lanka courtesy of Quinton de Kock, Rassie van der Dussen and Aiden Markram's blistering knocks.
All three batters completed their centuries with Markram scoring the fastest ever in the history of the World Cup as the 29-year-old completed his hundred in just 49 balls — breaking Ireland's Kevin O'Brien record who scored a memorable hundred against England on just 50 balls in the 2011 World Cup, which too was played in India.
That was the highest-ever total in the history of the World Cup and also the first time three different batters scored a century in a single innings.
The Islanders started badly as the opener Pathum Nissanka was clean-bowled by Marco Jansen’s in-swinging beauty in the first over.
However, after Nissanka walked back to the pavilion, Kusal Mendis took charge of the Lankan batting lineup and, scored a quick 76 off 42 which included eight sixes and four fours.
Sri Lanka kept on losing wickets but after Mendis, Charith Asalanka played an excellent innings, scoring 79 off 65 with 12 boundaries.
Skipper Dasun Shanaka contributed 68 runs as well but nothing was enough in front of the tremendous target.
