Ben Stokes Admits Guilt; ICC Penalizes England with Two WTC Points Deduction, India Escapes Sanctions

England captain Ben Stokes accepts ICC’s strict penalty of WTC point deduction for slow over rate during the third Test against India at Lord’s.

ICC Penalizes England for Slow Over Rate in Third Test Against India

The International Cricket Council (ICC) imposed strict penalties on England for maintaining a slow over rate during the third Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at Lord’s. The Ben Stokes-led England team was fined 10 percent of their match fees and docked two ICC World Test Championship (WTC) points. Meanwhile, India faced no sanctions.

England secured a thrilling 22-run victory on the final day, but lost valuable time due to their slow bowling.

Richie Richardson, from the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, confirmed the punishment after England were found two overs short of the required quota, even after considering time allowances. According to ICC rules, teams are fined five percent of their match fees and lose one WTC point for each over not bowled within the allotted time.

As a result, England’s players will forfeit 10 percent of their match fees, and the team’s WTC points tally has been reduced by two.

Ben Stokes pleads guilty and accepts ICC’s sanctions

Captain Ben Stokes, who delivered a memorable all-round performance leading England in the third Test, accepted the ICC’s penalty for a slow over rate without dispute.

“Stokes pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing,” the ICC stated.

The charge was brought by on-field umpires Paul Reiffel and Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, with Ahsan Raza serving as TV umpire and Graham Lloyd as fourth umpire during the match.

*While Australia maintain their perfect record, a team in the chasing pack have learned their fate following slow over rates at Lord's

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— ICC (@ICC) July 16, 2025

Ben Stokes, named Player of the Match, bowled a grueling 24 overs in India’s second innings—the most by any England bowler—and took three crucial wickets, including KL Rahul’s in a vital final-day spell. He also contributed valuable runs in a tense, low-scoring Test where runs were hard to come by.

The match was a gripping classic: England set India a target of 193 on a deteriorating pitch, and despite India’s near chase, England clinched victory by bowling them out for 170 on Day 5. The thrilling finish was marked by intense pressure and drama, though the slow pace of play drew criticism.

With the World Test Championship points table extremely tight, England’s loss of two WTC points due to slow over rate could prove costly in this closely fought series.

The fourth Test begins on July 23 in Manchester, where both teams will battle not only for series supremacy but also for every WTC point—and every precious minute.

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