 "Explained: What is the stop clock rule set to be made permanent in ODIs and T20Is")
After a successful experiment, the ICC on Friday announced that it will be making the stop-clock system a permanent feature in all Full-Member ODIs and T20Is from the 2024 T20 World Cup. The stop-clock system experiment began in December 2023 to regulate the pace of play. The five-match T20I series between West Indies and England in December last year was the first elite level cricket tournament to have the stop-clock system.
While initially the ICC’s plan was to run the experiment till April 2024, the global body decided to make it a permanent feature after it resulted in “saving approximately 20 minutes per ODI match”.
The stop-clock system will now be added to the ICC’s playing conditions for white-ball matches.
“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.
“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."
What led to stop-clock experimentation?
An MCC committee, which included former international captains Ricky Ponting, Sourav Ganguly and Kumar Sangakkara, had recommended the 'shot clock' in 2018 in an attempt at getting rid of “dead time” in a game.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsStop clocks are used in other sports such as tennis in an effort to speed up games.
The issue of speeding-up play in cricket made the headlines after Sri Lanka’s Angelo Mathews became the first batsman to be dismissed "timed out" during the 2023 ODI World Cup.
Mathews was declared out after he failed to take strike within the stipulated time of two minutes during Sri Lanka’s league match against Bangladesh. Mathews argued he had a problem with his helmet strap, but the umpires had to uphold the decision when Bangladesh chose not to withdraw their appeal.
On 21 November 2023, after the World Cup, the ICC decided to introduce stop-clock system in men’s ODIs and T20Is on a trial basis .
How will it work and what will be the punishment under the stop clock rule?
Under the strop clock rule, the bowling team will have to bowl the next over within 60 seconds of the previous over being completed. The 60 seconds gap will be determined with the help of an electronic clock, counting down from 60 to zero, at the ground. The third umpire will determine the start of the clock.
A team will be given two warnings for failing to be ready to bowl the first ball of their next over within the 60 seconds of the previous over being completed. A five-run penalty will be imposed the third time it happens in an innings. The subsequent breaches will also lead to a five-run penalty.
Are there any exceptions to stop clock rule?
ICC has also added a few exceptions to the stop clock rule. The clock can be cancelled despite being in progress if a new batter has to come to the crease between the overs, during the official drinks interval and when a batter or fielder receives medical treatment on the field.
The stop clock will also not be used if a delay is caused due to circumstances beyond the control of the bowling side.
When will the stop clock rule become permanent?
The stop-clock system will become a permanent part of all ODIs and T20Is from June 2024, starting from the Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
Are there any punishments currently for time wasting?
ICC had introduced in-match penalty in ODIs and T20Is in 2022 to combat slow over rates. As per the playing conditions, applicable to both men’s and women’s cricket, if the fielding team fails to start the final over by the stipulated time, they are docked one fielder from outside the 30-yard circle.
The third umpire is incharge of regulating the time, while accounting for any stoppages, before relaying it to the on-field match officials. It was introduced in T20Is in January and in ODIs during the World Cup Qualifiers in June-July. It was in addition to the monteary fines teams have to pay for slow over rates.
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