Explained: ICC’s New PowerPlay Overs Rules for Rain-Shortened T20s & Further Updates | Cricket News
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has introduced new PowerPlay regulations for rain-affected or shortened T20 matches, specifying the exact number of overs for the PowerPlay and limiting fielders outside the 30-yard circle in its updated Playing Conditions for the format. This will be starting from July, an eight-over innings, which previously had a three-over PowerPlay, will now feature 2.2 overs of PowerPlay with only two fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle. Similarly, a five-over innings will include 1.3 overs of PowerPlay.
According to the ICC’s official table, a six-over innings will have 1.5 overs of PowerPlay; seven overs will see 2.1 overs; eight overs, 2.2; and nine overs will include 2.4 overs of PowerPlay.
Overs Reduced — PowerPlay Overs
5 — 1.3
6 — 1.5
7 — 2.1
8 — 2.2
9 — 2.4
10 — 3.0
11 — 3.2
12 — 3.4
13 — 3.5
14 — 4.1
15 — 4.3
16 — 4.5
For example, a 12-over innings will have 3.4 overs as PowerPlay, 3.2 overs for 11 overs, and 3 overs for 10 overs. The updated table also assigns 3.5 overs of PowerPlay to a 13-over innings, 4.1 overs to 14 overs, 4.3 overs to 15 overs, and 4.5 overs to a 16-over innings.
Alongside these T20 updates, the ICC has introduced several new rules for the 2025-2027 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. One key change requires the fielding team to be ready to bowl each over within 60 seconds of the previous over’s completion. The ICC stated, “An electronic clock will be displayed at the ground that counts up seconds from zero to 60.”
Teams will receive two warnings for delays. Upon a third offence by the bowling side, five penalty runs will be awarded to the batting team. These warnings reset after 80 overs have been bowled in the innings.
Additionally, the new playing conditions permit the fielding captain to decide which batter takes the strike in cases of a deliberate short run. These updated regulations were implemented with the start of the new WTC cycle during the opening Test match in Galle, where Sri Lanka hosted Bangladesh. The Lankan lions are leading by 191 runs in the game.
