IND vs SA 2025: KL Rahul Pleads Guilty as India Penalised for Slow Over-Rate in Raipur Loss
India fined for slow over rate in Raipur ODI after falling two overs short as South Africa chased 359 led by Markram’s century
India had a tough night in Raipur. They not only lost a close second ODI to South Africa, but the team was also fined for maintaining a slow over rate. India finished two overs short of the target, which triggered an automatic penalty under ICC rules.
The ICC confirmed that every Indian player who took part in the match lost 10 percent of their match fee. Match referee Richie Richardson imposed the fine, and captain KL Rahul accepted the charge on the spot without asking for a hearing.
The fine comes under Article 2.2 of the ICC Code of Conduct. Teams lose five percent of their match fee for every over they fall short. Since India were two overs behind, the total deduction came to 10 percent.
South Africa chased a big target of 359 in the final over. Aiden Markram led the way with a superb century that kept India’s bowlers under pressure through the chase. India struggled to grip the ball because of heavy dew, which became a big talking point after the match.
KL Rahul explained how the conditions hurt India in the second innings. He also joked about the toss going against him but added that the team still had chances to do better.
“Rahul pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing,” the ICC said in its release.
The charge was made by on-field umpires Rod Tucker and Rohan Pandit, along with third umpire Sam Nogajski and fourth umpire Jayaraman Madanagopal.
Rahul spoke openly at the presentation. He said the challenge was expected because of the amount of dew. He felt India needed a few more runs to help their bowlers in such conditions.
He said, “Not really a tough one to swallow given how much dew there is and how difficult it is to bowl in the second innings. Toss plays a big role so I am kicking myself. With the bat, I know that 350 looks good, but we spoke about getting 20 to 25 more to give the bowlers a cushion with the wet ball.”
India will now look to fix the over rate issue and also tighten up their bowling plans as the series moves forward.
