Australia’s misery could deepen following their shock nine-wicket defeat to Bangladesh in the first Test in Darwin, with the hosts facing possible sanctions for failing to maintain the required over-rate.
Pat Cummins’ side bowled only 86 overs on the third day, four short of the mandatory 90, leaving Australia at risk of both financial penalties and a deduction of World Test Championship (WTC) points.
Under ICC regulations, players can be fined five per cent of their match fee for every over their team falls short of the required rate. With Australian players reportedly earning around $20,000 per Test, each of the 11 players could face a fine of $4,000, taking the total penalty to $44,000 if the full sanction is imposed.
Australia could also lose one WTC point for each over short, meaning a potential four-point deduction from their current tally of 84.
The deduction would leave Australia on 80 points, although their WTC points percentage would remain unchanged at 77.78, which is the primary criterion used to determine the standings.
South Africa are currently second with 36 points and a 75 per cent win percentage, while Bangladesh have moved up to fourth with 40 points and a 66.67 per cent percentage following their historic victory.
Bangladesh will not face a similar sanction despite also falling short of the required over-rate during Australia’s first innings. The Tigers bowled Australia out in just 53 overs, meaning the over-rate penalty does not apply in that innings.
The ICC regulations also allow exemptions in certain circumstances, including when a team is bowled out before batting for 80 overs or when both innings in a match last fewer than 160 overs combined. Those provisions helped Australia avoid penalties during several matches in last summer’s Ashes, but they are unlikely to protect them this time after Bangladesh batted for 138 overs in their first innings.
The match referee will assess the circumstances before deciding whether Australia should be sanctioned. Factors such as the extreme Darwin heat, wickets falling frequently and other permitted allowances can be taken into consideration when calculating the final over-rate.
Australia have previously paid a heavy price for slow over-rates in the WTC. They were deducted four points following the Boxing Day Test against India in 2020, a penalty that ultimately contributed to them missing out on the inaugural WTC final in 2021.
The potential sanctions would add another setback for Cummins and his team after Bangladesh completed one of the biggest upsets in their Test history, securing their first-ever Test victory on Australian soil with a nine-wicket win in Darwin.
