Will ICC's new rule favor bowlers in rain-curtailed men's T20Is?
What's the story
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has approved a change in the powerplay rules for men's T20Is. The new regulation, which will come into effect from July onward, will round off the powerplay to the nearest ball instead of the nearest over in case of a curtailed match. This adjustment is aimed at eliminating discrepancies that were previously created by rounding off to the nearest over.
Proportional balance
What does the new rule state?
Under the new rule, if a match is shortened to eight overs for any reason, the powerplay will be 2.2 overs with two fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle. This way, the proportion of powerplay in a curtailed match remains close to the original 30% of a full-length innings. The ICC said this method has been successfully used in England's T20 Blast for years without any issues for players or officials.
Official approval
Men's Cricket Committee endorses this change
The ICC Men's Cricket Committee has endorsed this change as the preferred method going forward. In the case of an eight-over match, the umpire will signal after two balls of the third over, allowing three more fielders to drop back from inside their circle. This adjustment is expected to streamline gameplay and maintain fairness even in shortened matches.
Prospect
Will the new rule favor bowlers?
The rain-curtailed affairs give batters a license to bat even more aggressively as a team has 10 wickets in hand with the allotted overs being reduced. The powerplay becomes a vital phase of the game, with the maximum number of fielders being inside the 30-yard circle. Hence, the reduction of a few deliveries in the powerplay phase indeed gives an advantage and cushion for the bowling team.
Additional modifications
Other changes introduced by ICC
Along with the powerplay rule change, the ICC has also introduced several other changes to the playing conditions in international cricket. A stopwatch will now be used in Test matches to control slow over rates, a rule that was previously introduced for white-ball cricket last year. Teams will also have to name their concussion substitutes before a match, with each substitute having one all-rounder, batter, wicketkeeper, pacer, and spinner.