England Cricket Team Penalized, Drops to Third in WTC Rankings

In a recent development in the World Test Championship (WTC), the England cricket team has faced sanctions for maintaining a slow over rate in their third Test match against India at Lord's. As a result, England was docked two crucial points, dropping them to third place in the WTC standings.

Apart from the point deduction, England, led by captain Ben Stokes, was fined 10% of their match fee following the match, which they won by a mere 22 runs. Match referee Richie Richardson highlighted the shortfall in overs bowled, despite allowances for time.

This penalty propelled Sri Lanka to second place, owing to their higher point percentage, while England's standing dropped to a PCT of 61.11%. With Australia's unbeaten record keeping them at the top, England's captain Ben Stokes accepted the sanction without contest, avoiding a formal hearing.

(With inputs from agencies.)