The Indian Women’s Cricket Team has been handed a fine during the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 after their recent defeat to Australia Women in Visakhapatnam. The International Cricket Council (ICC) imposed a 5% fine on each player’s match fee for maintaining a slow over rate during the group-stage clash on October 12, 2025.
India had already suffered a close three-wicket loss to Australia, and this penalty added another setback to their campaign as they aim to stay alive in the tournament.
ICC Confirms the Fine Under Article 2.22
According to the ICC, India Women were found one over short of their target after considering time allowances. The penalty was imposed under Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which pertains to minimum over-rate offences.
The decision was made by Match Referee Mitchell Perera of the Emirates ICC International Panel of Match Referees, following the on-field umpires Sue Redfern and Nimali Perera, third umpire Kim Cotton, and fourth umpire Jacqueline Williams reporting the offence.
The ICC statement confirmed that Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur accepted the charge and the proposed sanction, making any formal hearing unnecessary.
Match Recap: India Lost Despite Strong Batting Effort
In the high-scoring contest, India batted first and posted a competitive total of 330 runs in 48.5 overs.
- Smriti Mandhana led the innings with a fluent 80 off 66 balls, smashing 9 fours and 3 sixes.
- Pratika Rawal continued her fine form with 75 runs off 96 deliveries, while Harleen Deol (38) and Jemimah Rodrigues (33) added valuable middle-order runs.
Despite the strong total, Australia Women chased down the target in 49 overs, finishing at 331/7.
- Skipper Alyssa Healy played a match-winning knock of 142 off 107 balls, with 21 boundaries and 3 sixes.
- Ellyse Perry (47)* and Ashleigh Gardner (45) contributed crucial partnerships to seal the victory.
India’s bowlers struggled to contain the scoring rate, which ultimately led to both the defeat and the slow-over rate penalty.
This isn’t the first time the Indian women’s team has faced such an issue. Earlier in September 2025, during a bilateral series against Australia, the side was also penalized for a similar slow-over offence. The recurring problem has raised concerns about the team’s on-field management and discipline under tight match schedules.
After two consecutive losses in the tournament, India has slipped to fourth place on the points table. Their next challenge will be a must-win clash against England Women on October 19 in Indore, followed by key games against New Zealand (October 23) and Bangladesh (October 26).
To keep their semi-final hopes alive, the Women in Blue must improve their bowling rhythm, over-rate management, and consistency in the upcoming fixtures.
The slow over-rate penalty serves as a reminder for the Indian Women’s team to maintain discipline and control on the field. Despite the setback, the team has shown strong batting potential throughout the World Cup, and fans will be eager to see them bounce back with a statement performance in the next match.
