After England’s WTC points docked, Ben Stokes lashes out at ICC
England captain Ben Stokes expressed his frustration with the ICC after both England and New Zealand were docked three points in the World Test Championship (WTC) standings for slow over rates during their first Test in Christchurch. Stokes took to Instagram, stating, “Good on you ICC. Finished the game with 10 hours of play still left,” highlighting his discontent with the penalties.
Both teams were fined 15% of their match fees, and the sanctions come at a critical time in the WTC cycle, where teams are vying for a top-two finish. Despite England’s commanding eight-wicket victory, they are already out of contention for the final, while New Zealand’s position has worsened significantly. The penalties have pushed New Zealand down from joint fourth to fifth place, reducing their points percentage to 47.92%. Even if they win their remaining two Tests against England, their maximum achievable percentage would only be 55.36%.
This situation leaves New Zealand in a precarious position, as they must not only win but also hope for favorable results in other matches to keep their slim hopes of reaching the final alive. The penalties were imposed after umpires found both teams to be three overs short of the required rate.