What's the new 'five-over penalty' rule introduced by the ICC?

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has introduced a significant rule alteration in ODI and T20I formats during a board meeting held on Tuesday, November 22. This rule, termed as the 'five-run penalty,' is imposed on teams that exceed the allotted time for overs during a match. To enforce this, the ICC will utilise a stop clock system to monitor the duration taken between overs.

Details of the rule

• If the bowling team fails to deliver the next over within 60 seconds, a five-run penalty will be applied if this delay occurs for the third time in the innings.
• According to an ICC media release on Tuesday, "The clock will be used to regulate the amount of time taken between overs."
• This new regulation will undergo a six-month trial period from December 2023 to April 2024. The decision received approval from the chief executive committee during the recent meeting.
• The inaugural implementation of this rule will commence during the three-match ODI series between West Indies and England, commencing on December 3.

Reasons behind the rule

• The ICC's primary objective in introducing this rule is to monitor and maintain the pace of play during cricket matches. This initiative aligns with previous measures taken by the cricketing body to address slow over rates.
• In 2022, the ICC introduced an in-match penalty in ODIs and T20s, wherein if the bowling team failed to complete the final over within the stipulated time, they would lose one fielder from outside the 30-yard circle.
• Consequently, only four, not five, fielders would be permitted outside the circle.
• This rule was initially implemented in T20Is in January and later in ODIs during the World Cup qualifiers held between June and July earlier this year.