On Friday 07 January 2022 the International Cricket Council (ICC) had set up new rules for T20 internationals, stating that teams with a slow over-rate will be penalized by having one less player outside the 30-yard circle for the remaining of the innings.
As part of the modified playing conditions, the governing body also added optional refreshment breaks in which players can take drink breaks in between innings in bilateral international T20 cricket.
In addition to the fines for the slow over-rate mentioned in Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, the in-match penalties also will be applied. Teams and their captains will be penalized with negative points and financial penalties too. The in-match penalty is in addition to the sanctions for the slow over-rate outlined in Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel.
Under the new playing conditions, the fielding team will have to tolerate the in-match penalty for slow over rates. The penalty will come into effect from this month onwards both in men’s and women’s Twenty20 Internationals.
The new slow over rate regulations are listed under clause 13.8 of the playing conditions. If the fielding side is not able to stick to the scheduled time, they will have to face an in-match penalty. According to the clause, the fielding side must be in a 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 this position then one fewer fielder will be allowed outside the 30-yard circle for the remaining overs of the innings.
After the first six overs, five fielders are allowed outside the 30-yard circle, until just two are allowed outside after that. However, according to the most recent ICC guidelines, not more than four fielders will be allowed outside the restricted area if the bowling side fails to keep up with the timetable.
Another modification is that an optional drink break of two minutes and thirty seconds may be taken subject to the agreement of the members at the beginning of each inning.
The first men’s match to be played under the updated playing condition will be a one-off encounter between the West Indies and Ireland on January 16 at Sabina Park in Jamaica. The first women’s match under the new playing conditions will take place in Centurion on January 18 in the first T20I of a three-match series between South Africa and the West Indies.
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