Stop-clock rule made permanent in ODIs & T20Is; reserve day approved for T20 WC semis & final

A giant cricket ball is seen installed at a marketplace to mark 100 days to go for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Miami (Pic: AFP)

Cracking the whip on time-wasting tactics in white-ball cricket, the ICC on Friday announced that the stop-clock system, which requires teams to start a new over within 60 seconds of the previous one to avoid penalty runs, will become a permanent feature starting with the T20 World Cup 2024.

The system, which is currently on trial, was introduced in December 2023, and has now been incorporated into the standard playing conditions which will be in operation from June 1, 2024, when T20 World Cup 2024 begins in the USA and the West Indies.

The failure of the fielding side to be ready to bowl the first ball of their next over within the stipulated 60 seconds will attract two warnings, and the subsequent breaches will lead to a five-run penalty per incident.

"The stop-clock is set to become permanent in all ODIs and T20Is from June 2024, starting with the T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and USA," the ICC said in a statement after its Annual Board Meeting.

"The trial was supposed to run until April 2024, but the experiment has already yielded results in terms of timely completion of matches, saving approximately 20 minutes per ODI match," it added.

An electronic clock, counting down from 60 to zero, will be displayed on the ground, and the third umpire can determine the start of the clock.

However, the ICC has also laid out some exceptions to the rule, and the clock, if it has already been started, can be cancelled in some situations.

"If a new batter comes to the crease between the overs, during official drinks interval or during the on-field treatment of an injury to a batter or a fielder. The rule will also not be activated if the time is lost because of circumstances beyond the control of the fielding side," the ICC said.

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Fielding Teams have often been guilty of trying to slow down proceedings to get more time to strategise and change field placements after every delivery. So far, the team and the captain could only be penalised financially which hasn't worked as well in stopping the practice.

The ICC meeting has also approved reserve days for the semifinals (June 27) and the final (June 29) of the T20 World Cup.

During the league or Super Eight stages, a minimum of five overs will have to be bowled to the team batting second to constitute a full game.

However, in the knockout matches, a minimum of 10 overs need to be bowled in the second innings to constitute a match.

The global governing body also approved the qualification process for the T20 World Cup 2026, to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

The tournament will feature 20 teams and will have 12 automatic qualifiers.

The top eight teams in the 2024 World Cup will join India and Sri Lanka as automatic qualifiers, with the remaining spots taken up by the next best-ranked sides in the ICC T20I rankings as of June 30, 2024.

The remaining eight positions will be filled through the ICC Regional Qualifiers.

(With agency inputs)