The Australian National Cricket Team’s embarrassing defeat in the two-match Test series opener against the Bangladesh National Cricket Team in Darwin could become even more costly. After suffering a shocking nine-wicket defeat in the first Test, Pat Cummins and his team may now face a fine and a deduction of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 points because of their slow over-rate. Amid this, Marnus Labuschagne and Jake Weatherald are likely to be dropped for the 2nd Test vs Bangladesh.
Australia bowled only 86 overs on the third day, four overs less than the required 90. The Test finished before tea on the fourth day, but that does not mean the Kangaroos will automatically escape punishment from the International Cricket Council (ICC). The International Cricket Council is yet to confirm whether the Pat Cummins-led Australia National Cricket Team will be punished for the slow over-rate.
Match referee Jeff Crowe will look at the complete situation before making the final decision. The Australians were also slow on the opening day. After being bowled out for 198 in the first innings, the hosts sent down 24 overs in the evening. Bangladesh had their own overrate problem as they bowled only 77 overs during around six and a half hours of play, with 11 wickets falling during that period in Darwin.
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Former Australian batter Simon Katich had already expressed his frustration about the slow pace of the match, saying the overrates in Test cricket have become “ridiculous.” Amid this, Marnus Labuschagne is under pressure as Andrew McDonald admits he “needs some big runs”.
Under ICC rules, teams are normally expected to bowl 90 overs in a day. Extra time can be given when there are interruptions or other special circumstances. However, Australia still fell four overs short on Day 3, putting them under scrutiny.
The punishment could hurt Australia in two different ways. Players can be fined for every over their team falls behind the required rate, while the team can also lose ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 points. Australia currently leads the WTC 2025-27 points table with 84 points and a points percentage of 77.78. If they lose four WTC points, their total would fall to 80. Their position could then change depending on the results and percentage points of other teams this week.
Australia has already suffered because of an overrated punishment in the past. During the previous WTC cycle, they were docked four points for a slow over-rate in the Boxing Day Test against India in 2020. Those lost points eventually played a role in Australia missing out on the WTC final.
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The possible fine could also be significant. Under the ICC rules, Australian players can be fined five percent of their match fee for every over their team falls short. If Australia is punished for all four overs, each player could lose 20 percent of their match fee.
With the reported Test match fee of around $20,000, that could mean approximately $4,000 per player. So, the total fine could reach around $44,000 for the playing XI. However, Australia can hope for some relaxation because the match was played in Darwin’s hot and humid conditions. The referee can consider the weather when deciding whether the slow over-rate offence deserves a penalty.
