Lagatar24 Desk
Dubai, Jan 7: The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced changes to T20I playing conditions on Friday, which will take effect with the West Indies’ one-off match against Ireland at Sabina Park. The modified playing conditions include an optional refreshments interlude midway through the innings in bilateral T20 international cricket, as well as an in-match penalty for slow over rates in men’s and women’s Twenty20 Internationals.
The over rate rules are outlined in clause 13.8 of the playing conditions (here), which states that a fielding side shall be able to bowl the first ball of the final over of the innings by the scheduled or rescheduled end of the innings time. If they are not in such a position, one fewer fielder will be permitted outside of the 30-yard circle for the remaining overs of the innings.
After studying reports on the success of a similar strategy that was applied in the ECB’s Hundred competition’s playing conditions, the ICC Cricket Committee, which meets on a monthly basis to evaluate methods to boost the pace of play in all forms, suggested the change.
The in-game penalties are in addition to the sanctions for slow over-rates stipulated in Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel.
Another modification is that at the halfway point of each innings, an optional refreshments break of two minutes and thirty seconds may be taken, subject to agreement by Members at the start of each series.
The one-off tie between the West Indies and Ireland at Sabina Park in Jamaica on January 16 will be the first men’s match played under the new playing conditions, while the first T20I of the three-match series between South Africa and the West Indies in Centurion on January 18 will be the first women’s match played under the new playing conditions.
