Ben Stokes pleads guilty; ICC takes strict action against England, two WTC points docked, India get away

The International Cricket Council (ICC) imposed strict penalties on England for their slow over rate during the third Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against India at Lord’s. The team captained by Ben Stokes was fined 10 percent of their match earnings and docked two points in the ICC World Test Championship. India, in contrast, escaped without facing any penalties. England triumphed in the closely contested match by 22 runs in a thrilling conclusion on Day 5, although numerous overs were lost throughout the five days.

Richie Richardson, from the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, verified the penalty after England was deemed two overs short of the necessary quota, even with time allowances considered. According to ICC regulations, teams incur a penalty of five percent of their match fees for every over not completed on time and forfeit one WTC point for each over under the required number.

In this situation, England players will forfeit 10% of their match payment, and the team has been penalized two important WTC points.

Captain Ben Stokes, who led from the front with a memorable all-round performance, accepted the penalty without contest. “Stokes pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing,” the ICC said in a statement.

The accusation was made by on-field umpires Paul Reiffel and Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, with Ahsan Raza (TV umpire) and Graham Lloyd (fourth umpire) also serving in the match. Stokes, who received the Player of the Match award, bowled 24 challenging overs during India’s second innings, exceeding the contributions of all his teammates.

He took three important wickets, notably KL Rahul during a key final-day spell, and aided with the bat in a low-scoring match where runs were scarce. The game was a classic example of the format — tense, messy, and captivating all the way through. England posed a target of 193 for India on a worsening pitch, and although India came close, the home team clinched victory by dismissing them for 170 on Day 5. The finale was packed with tension, passion, and stress — yet there were moments when the tempo of the game fell short.

As the World Test Championship table remains highly competitive, losing two points might become detrimental for England over time, particularly in this tightly fought series. The fourth Test starts on July 23 in Manchester, where both teams are now contending for series glory as well as for each WTC point — and for every second left on the clock.