LAHORE: Pakistan Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq has been suspended for one Test and fined 40 per cent of his match, whereas other players have been fined 20pc of their match fee, for maintaining a slow over-rate during the first Test against New Zealand in Christchurch, ICC reported on Monday. Richie Richardson of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees imposed the suspension on Misbah after Pakistan was ruled to be two overs short of its target of 103 overs. The sanction was imposed in accordance with Article 2.5.1 and Appendix 2 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Players Support Personnel. Players are fined 10 per cent of their match fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time, with the captain fined double that amount. The suspension means Misbah will miss the second Test against New Zealand which is to start on Friday, Nov 25 in Hamilton. Misbah had also previously been found guilty of the same offence during the Oval Test against England in August 2016. The offence in the Christchurch test constituted his second minor over-rate offence within a 12-month period, which is why he has been fined for 40pc of his match fee. The charge was brought on by on-field umpires Ian Gould and S.Ravi of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires, third umpire Simon Fry of the Emirates International Panel of ICC Umpires, and fourth official Shaun Haig.
