Zimbabwe skipper banned for two ODIs

Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura has been suspended for two one-day internationals for his side’s slow over-rate against Pakistan, the International Cricket Council said on Wednesday.

Chigumbura-led Zimbabwe were three overs short of the required finish time in the first ODI loss against Pakistan in Lahore on Tuesday, with the skipper to now miss the remainder of the three-match series.

"The Zimbabwe side was ruled to be three overs short of its target at the end of the match when time allowances were taken into consideration," the ICC said in a statement.

"As such, ICC remote match referee Roshan Mahanama handed Chigumbura two suspension points while each of his players received a 40-per-cent fine (10 per cent for each of the first two overs and 20 per cent for the third over).

"The charges were levelled by on-field umpires Aleem Dar and Russell Tiffin, third umpire Ahmed Shahab and reserve umpire Shozab Raza."

If Chigumbura is found guilty of a second serious over-rate offence in an ODI over the next 12 months, he will receive a sanction of between two and eight suspension points.

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An ODI or Twenty20 International is worth one suspension point while a Test is worth two, so another serious over-rate penalty could see Chigumbura miss as many as eight limited-overs games or four Tests, or a combination of matches.

"Chigumbura pleaded guilty to the charge and the subsequent penalties were accepted without the need for a formal hearing," the ICC said.

Chigumbura is the latest captain to be suspended for slow over-rates in ODIs.

In January, George Bailey missed the third match of the Carlton Mid ODI Tri-Series after incurring his second slow over-rate offence in 12 months.

Bailey, who was standing in for injured Australia skipper Michael Clarke, had earlier been fined after the first ODI against South Africa in Perth last November.

South Africa ODI skipper AB de Villiers will miss the first match of his team’s three-game one-day series against Bangladesh in July, after being fined following the Proteas’ 130-run loss to India during the World Cup.

De Villiers will also sit out the two-match Test series in Bangladesh after being granted leave for the birth of his first child with wife Danielle, with his absence to end a run of 98 consecutive Tests.

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Pakistan won the match by 41 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the series, with the second match to be played on Thursday and the third on Sunday.

All matches are being played in Lahore.

Hamilton Masakadza is likely to lead Zimbabwe for the remainder of the series.