It is less than a week to go before the start of the T20 World Cup 2022. The tournament, which will be played in its entirety in Australia, will begin with the preliminary round on October 16; the Super 12 round will start on October 22 and the final will be played on November 13 at the iconic MCG.
This is the eighth edition of the tournament, and hosts Australia are the defending champions, having won their maiden title less than 12 months ago, in the UAE.
The T20 World Cup 2022 will also be significant as the new rule changes by the MCC and ICC have gotten in place since the start of this month. How the teams adjust to these new changes, in a mega-event such as the T20 World Cup, might play a crucial role in how deep they go in the tournament.
Here are the 5 new rules at the ICC T20 World Cup 2022:
New batter to take the strike in case of caught dismissal
This rule is one of the biggest modifications in the game of cricket and holds the power to impact the eventual result, especially when a batter is caught in the death overs. For decades, if the two batters cross before the catch is completed, the other batter used to take the strike.
However, now when a batter is out caught, the new batter will come in and take the strike, regardless of whether the batters had crossed before the catch is taken. The exception, of course, is that only if the caught dismissal happens on the last ball of the over, then the non-striker will face the first ball of the next over as usual.
Over-rate penalty: extra fielder inside the circle
Another crucial addition in the rule book, this in-game penalty for slow-over rate had been a much-needed one given how the matches used to lengthen.
The new over-rate penalty rule states that the fielding side must be in a position to bowl the first ball of the final over of the innings by the scheduled or rescheduled time which the umpire will keep a note of -considering the time wasted due to injuries, breaks, DRS, etc. The time is displayed on the big screen for the fielding captain and team.
If the bowling team is not in such a position and falls behind time, one fewer fielder will be outside the circle – meaning instead of 5, only 4 fielders will petrol the boundary – for the rest of the innings.
We saw the impact of this rule during the Asia Cup when both India and Pakistan had to field only 4 outfielders during group stage clash because of a slow over-rate.
Running out non-striker
Except for the majority of current and ex-English cricketers, more and more people are buying into two things: there is no stigma in running out the non-striker who’s backing too far and it’s completely a legitimate form of dismissal; and it is not called/should not be called ‘Mankad’ – just a run-out is enough.
The MCC removed all ambiguity around this, changing the wording that covers a non-striker being run out by the bowler while backing up – moving it from Law 41 (Unfair play) to Law 38 (Run out). As many have said, for the batters to not get run-out at the non-striker’s end, just stay in the crease until the ball is released.
We are likely to see an instance or two of this sort of run-out or bowlers trying to warn the batters at the T20 World Cup 2022.
Hitting deliveries outside the playing area
A batter’s movement is now restricted to within the pitch, or else the delivery will be called dead. Some part of the batter’s bat or body should remain within the pitch. Should the batter venture beyond that, the umpire shall call and signal it as a dead ball. Any ball which would force the batter to leave the pitch will also be called no ball and a free-hit be will be given to the batter.
Unfair movement by the fielding side
The ICC has strictly said that any “unfair and deliberate movements” by a fielder while the bowler is running in to bowl will be penalised.
We have seen slip fielders quickly move to the other side when a batter gets in the stance to play a scoop or paddle even before the bowler has released the ball. From now on, this will be considered unfair. This could now result in the umpire awarding a five-run penalty to the batting side as well as the ball being called dead.
