The International Cricket Council (ICC) is the governing body of the sport that manages the manner in which professional cricket is regulated. It oversees that a fair play is established in the competition and players and officials abide by the laws of the game.
Ever since the game has increased in its pace by the introduction of T20 cricket and greater onus on limited-overs fixtures, officials have constantly kept their eyes on the duration of matches. As per the current rules, in ODIs and T20s, if a fielding team fails to start the final over of the innings within a stipulated time, then the fielding side has to place one fielder less outside the 30-yard circle.
In November 2023, the ICC introduced the stop clock rule in a meeting of its chief executives in Ahmedabad. The rule is set to be implemented on a trial basis between December 2023 to April 2024. According to the stop clock rule, if fielding side fails three times to start the next over within one minute, then a five-run penalty is imposed on the fielding side after the third instance.
The stop clock rule ensures faster play. The reduction in the time taken between two overs by the fielders also decreases the chances of a team or its captain be charges with a slow over rate. The implementation of the stop clock rule will be done only in T20s and One Day International (ODI) matches. In test cricket, the bowling side is expected to bowl a minimum of 15 overs per hour. There are no specification in rules on how much time a side can take between two overs in Test cricket.
The stop clock rule’s concrete place in the law books will be decided upon only after analysing how players have responded to it during its trial phase till April 2024.
