Stop clock mandatory playing condition: ICC
CHENNAI: The ICC confirmed that the stop clock will be introduced as a mandatory playing condition in all men’s ODI and T20I matches between Full Members. The governing body had introduced the stop clock rule in December 2023 on a trial basis and from 1 June 2024, it will be part of the standard playing conditions, including at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. The Board meeting also approved reserve days for the semifinals and the final of the T20 World Cup in the US and the West Indies.
“The stop-clock is set to become permanent in all ODIs and T20Is from June 2024, starting with the ICC Men’s 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. However, the experiment has already yielded results in terms of timely completion of matches, saving approximately 20 minutes per ODI match,” the statement added. As per the rule, the fielding side will have to start a new over within 60 seconds of the completion of the previous over. 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.
Former umpire K. Hariharan believes the new rule making is a step in the right direction.”A lot of time-wasting will hopefully stop after introducing this rule,” he told this daily. “Now the teams will have to start a new over on time to finish the innings within the prescribed time limit for 20 or 50 overs. Taking this rule into consideration the match will go a little faster and it will help them finish the match in time.
The ICC had to take this kind of measure because you cannot avoid the DRS in the game at the same time players do take a lot of time otherwise to adjust the field etc. This is a measure to control things to help the match go a little faster. Hopefully, this works in the games,” the umpire added. Along with this decision, ICC approved reserve days for the semifinals (June 27) and the final (June 29) of the upcoming men’s T20 World Cup.
In the Super Eight phase, starting from June 19, a minimum of five overs have to be bowled to the team batting second to constitute a game. On the other hand, in the knock-out stages, a minimum of ten overs will need to be bowled. The governing body also announced the qualification process for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The event scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka will see 12 automatic qualifiers.