ICC makes stop-clock rule mandatory in white-ball cricket
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that the stop-clock rule introduced on a trial basis last year will now be made mandatory in limited-overs internationals. Deciding at its annual board meeting in Dubai on Friday, the ICC stated the rule will be implemented starting with the 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies and USA.
Per the rule tested last December, the fielding side must start the next over within 60 seconds of the previous over ending. An on-field clock will count from 60, with the third umpire monitoring.
Teams will get two warnings for overruns before a five-run penalty is imposed per incident. The trial period was to conclude in April, but the ICC noted early signs of improved match timings.
The 2026 T20 World Cup qualification process was also finalized at the meeting. However, no mention was made of the Champions Trophy, with Pakistan slated to host.
This has sparked speculation on whether India will opt out like the recent Asia Cup format change, as geopolitical tensions continue between the nations next door. Further clarity from the BCCI is awaited on the matter.
