Mashrafe Mortaza to miss one ODI after his side’s slow over rate in quarter-final loss
Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza has been suspended by the ICC for one match and fined 40 per cent of his match fee following his side’s emphatic loss to India in the World Cup quarter-finals. The world number nine were deemed two overs short of their target by Roshan Mahanama of the Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees, after charges were laid by on-field umpires Aleem Dar and Ian Gould, third umpire Steve Davis and fourth umpire Paul Reiffel. Mortaza will miss Bangladesh’s next one-day international after receiving his second minor over-rate offence in the tournament-ending defeat.
The skipper and his players were both fined following the dramatic pool-stage victory over England that booked their place in the quarter-finals, meaning a second such offence would see Mortaza miss a future ODI fixture.
For a captain to be suspended in an ICC event, he must commit two minor over-rate offences. Mortaza pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the sanction, meaning a formal hearing was not required. The suspension capped off what was a tough night for the Bangladesh captain, with Mortaza taking just 1-69 with the ball and scoring one run with the bat in the heavy defeat. Mortaza was visibly frustrated with the performance of his team in the field and was involved in a heated exchange with young fast bowler Taskin Ahmed after he bowled Rohit Sharma out for what would prove a match-winning 137.
