ICC to make Stop Clock rule permanent in ODIs, T20Is

The stop clock rule, currently undergoing trial, is set to become a permanent feature in international cricket, with its implementation during the upcoming Twenty20 World Cup in June approved. Introduced by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on an experimental basis last December, this rule will now be incorporated into the standard playing conditions of the game.

This rule, necessitating the display of an electronic clock between overs, will not be applied in Twenty20 Internationals but also all white-ball cricket, including One-Day Internationals (ODIs). Needless to emphasise, its primary purpose is to ensure the timely completion of the matches.

According to the rule, the fielding team will have 60 seconds between overs, during which they must commence the next over before the countdown reaches zero. This 60-second countdown will occur between each over of a T20I or an ODI, with penalties for every breach.

The responsibility of enforcing this rule lies with the umpires, with the third umpire switching on the timer. The on-field umpires will issue two warnings to the fielding side before imposing a five-run penalty for a third offense or every subsequent violation. The decision to utilize the timer rests with the umpires, who also have the authority to decide whether delays are caused by batters, DRS calls, or any unforeseen circumstances.

The rule was initially trialled by the ICC from December 2023. The trial period is supposed to end in April but in the meanwhile the ICC and its cricket committee are believed to have found merit in making the rule permanent. It will now be a universal rule for every ICC white ball game.

The rule was approved at the ongoing series of meetings of the ICC in Dubai.

Reserve days for Men's T20 World Cup 2024

During the meetings, it was also concluded that the semifinal and final of the men's T20 World Cup in 2024 will have a reserve day. They also decided that for a group stage and Super Eights fixture to be deemed as a complete game, a minimum of five overs need to be bowled to the chasing team. That number goes up to 10 overs for a knockout match.

For the next edition of the tournament in 2026 - jointly-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, ICC announced the qualification process. The teams that finish in the top-eight in 2024 will get a direct entry - alongside the two hosts - while the remaining spots - between two and four based on where the hosts finish in the 2024 event - will be given to the next-best ranked sides in the ICC Men's T20I rankings as of June 30, 2024.