All the new changes in T20I cricket

The International Cricket Council (ICC) have introduced a couple of new rules in T20I matches on Friday. The first men’s game to be played under the new playing conditions will be the one-off clash between the West Indies and Ireland at the Sabina Park, Jamaica on January 16, 2022.

On the other hand, 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 encounter to take place under the new playing conditions.

The first change in rule which will come into effect is a new in-match penalty for slow over rates in men’s and women’s Twenty20 Internationals. The new rule is captured in clause 13.8 of the playing conditions, which stipulates that “a fielding side must be in position to bowl the first ball of the final over of the innings by the scheduled or rescheduled time for the end of the innings. 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.”

Notably, if the team is bowling the 18th over after the mandatory 90 minutes is completed then two overs will be bowled with one less fielder less outside the 30-yard circle.

Rule 2: Optional drinks break of two minutes and thirty seconds

In another change, an optional drinks break of two minutes and thirty seconds may be taken at the mid-point of each innings subject to agreement between Members at the start of each series. 

For those who don’t know, the earlier rule was recommended by the ICC Cricket Committee after considering reports on the effectiveness of a similar regulation that was included in the playing conditions for the Hundred competition conducted by the ECB.

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