ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's World Cup victory over New Zealand was soured on Sunday as the 1992 champions were sanctioned for maintaining a slow over rate during the match, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said.
Buoyed by left-handed batter Fakhar Zaman's blitz, Pakistan managed to beat New Zealand by 21 runs on Saturday. The green shirts won via the Duckworth-Lewis method as rain halted play after 25.3 overs with Pakistan standing tall at 200-1.
"Pakistan were found to be two overs short in the allotted time during New Zealand's innings in Bengaluru and were handed a penalty of 10 percent of their match fee," the ICC said.
The charges were leveled by on-field umpires Paul Wilson and Richard Kettleborough, third umpire Richard Illingworth and fourth umpire Joel Wilson. The sanction was imposed by Richie Richardson of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees.
"Babar pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing," the ICC said.
According to the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, players are fined five percent of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time.
Saturday's win brightened Pakistan's chances for a place in the semi-finals of the ICC Men's World Cup. The green shirts now have to beat England on Nov. 11 when the two sides meet each other at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
India and South Africa have already qualified for the semi-finals.
