ICC 'sanctions' hit Pakistan team hard after loss to South Africa at World Cup

The cricket squad of Pakistan, captained by Babar Azam, is on the verge of losing the ICC World Cup 2023 too soon. They were in a difficult situation following their regrettable World Cup campaign setback at the hands of South Africa. In the 26th match of the One Day International (ODI) World Cup, held at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Pakistan suffered a devastating defeat to South Africa.

This loss has not only clouded Pakistan's World Cup prospects but also caused some off-field issues. Pakistan was penalised by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for their slow over rate during the match after the ICC noticed their performance. Babar Azam pleaded guilty to the offence and willingly accepted the proposed sanction. The charges were officially levelled by the on-field umpires, including Alex Wharf and Paul Reiffel, alongside third umpire Richard Illingworth and fourth umpire Richard Kettleborough.

However, this isn't the only challenge Pakistan cricket is currently facing. Earlier reports have emerged, suggesting that Babar and his team have not received their due salaries for the past five months. Former Pakistan skipper Rashid Latif expressed his concerns, stating that the chairman, Zaka Ashraf, has not been responsive to Babar's attempts to address this issue. The delay in disbursing salaries has understandably created unrest among the players and added to their off-field concerns.


As the World Cup progresses, Pakistan's struggles continue, and their journey has been less than smooth since their defeat against arch-rivals India at the Narendra Modi Stadium. So far, Pakistan secured victory in only two out of six matches at the India World Cup. To keep their World Cup hopes alive, the Green Army now faces a daunting task of securing victories in their remaining three matches to maintain an outside chance of making it to the semi-finals.


The pressure is mounting on Babar's Pakistan side. With the slow over rate sanction and salary disputes overshadowing their campaign, the team must regroup and focus on the challenges ahead. Their next encounter against Bangladesh at the Eden Gardens is a must-win situation, and it could very well determine their fate in the World Cup.