South African skipper AB de Villiers on the edge of suspension

AB de Villiers is one game away from suspension in ICC Cricket World Cup 2015

Melbourne, Feb 23 (IANS) South African skipper AB de Villiers is one game away from suspension after South Africa were fined for maintaining a slow over-rate during its 130-run loss to India on Sunday. The Proteas were ruled to be one over behind by International Cricket Council (ICC) match referee Jeff Crowe after time allowances were taken into consideration.

While De Villiers was fined 20 percent of his match fee, the other team members were docked 10 percent of the fees, reports the Cricket Australia website.

A repeat offence before the final can lead to the skipper's suspension for the next match of the World Cup. The ICC's No.1 ranked One-Day International batsman, De Villiers's absence would be a huge jolt for his side who are in the quest for their maiden World Cup.

The captain has made a quiet start to the tourney with scores of 25 and 30, but has been in red hot form with the bat in the last 12 months, plundering 1,005 ODI runs at 69.58 with three centuries.

De Villiers entered the World Cup with a minor over-rate offence he accrued in the first Carlton Mid ODI against Australia in Perth in November, but his offences were wiped clean just like all players.

Slow over-rate fine for ABD. Repeat will lead to missing match. Recipe for miraculous SA choke in late stages of @cricketworldcup?

— Dipankar Lahiri (@soiledshoes) February 23, 2015