“The results of the stop-clock trial were presented to the Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC), which demonstrated that around 20 minutes per ODI match had been saved in time,” an ICC release said. “Given the clear improvement to the flow of the game, the CEC approved that the stop clock be introduced as a mandatory playing condition in all men’s ODI and T20I matches between Full Members from 1 June, 2024, including [at] the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.”
The stop-clock rule was on trial from December 2023. In the intervening period, there has been no instance of a team defaulting three times in an innings. After each default, the umpire issues a warning to the offending team, and only after two warnings are the penalty runs deducted.
This now means there are three penalties to police over rates:
The penalty is laid out as follows: if the fielding side fails to begin the final over by the stipulated cut-off time, after accounting for delays, they will have to bring in an extra fielder into the 30-yard circle for however many overs are remaining in the innings. So they will be allowed only four fielders outside the circle, instead of five, for the duration of the penalty. This rule, introduced in early 2022, applies to both men’s and women’s limited-overs games.
The monetary fine includes a 5% cut in the offending team’s match fee for every over they are short of the minimum required over rate, after the umpires have taken into account time allowances for unavoidable delays. This fine is capped at 50% of the match fee. Whatever the fine given to the other members of the team is doubled for the captain.
10-overs minimum for completed knockout games at 2024 T20 World Cup
Over-rate penalties aside, the ICC’s release on the outcomes of its meetings also said that the upcoming Men’s T20 World Cup in June will have reserve days for the semi-finals and final, and for the knockouts to be deemed completed matches, a minimum of 10 overs a side need to be bowled – a departure from the usual five overs. The group games at the World Cup, which will be played in the USA and the West Indies, will continue to need only five-overs-a-side for a completed game.
2026 T20 World Cup qualification up for grabs at 2024 edition
The 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup, like the upcoming edition, will feature 20 teams, with 12 automatically qualifying: the two hosts – India and Sri Lanka – get automatic berths, as well as the other teams that make the Super Eights at the 2024 edition. Then, two to four teams (it will be fewer than four only if India or Sri Lanka finish outside the top eight in 2024) are decided by who are the next highest-ranked teams in the ICC’s T20I rankings on June 30, 2024. The remaining eight spots for 2026 will be decided through the usual regional qualifiers pathway.
