![Hardik Pandya and Australian players [Source: @Johns, @ragav_x/x]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1742488970630_bcci.jpg?type=mq)
Hardik Pandya and Australian players [Source: @Johns, @ragav_x/x]
The BCCI made a couple of huge changes on the day of the captains’ meet ahead of the IPL 2025 season. The WTC 2025-27 cycle will likely have an added feature of Bonus Points. In other news, the PCB is aiming to upgrade more cricket stadiums after the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy debacle.
Capping an eventful day in the world of cricket, here we take a look at five of the biggest cricketing news that emerged out of Thursday, March 20.
BCCI Revokes Saliva Ban For IPL 2025
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has lifted the ban on using saliva to keep the shine on the cricket ball. The ban was implemented by the International Cricket Council (BCCI) back in mid-2020 as a precautionary measure against the COVID-19. However, the apex body made the ban permanent in September 2022.
Amidst calls from fast bowlers like Mohammed Shami and Tim Southee to revoke the ban, the BCCI lifted the same for the upcoming IPL 2025 season on the day of the captain’s meet in Mumbai.
No Ban On Captains For Slow Over-Rates In IPL
The BCCI also revoked the ban on captains, in case if they were found guilty for maintaining slow over-rates in IPL matches. Much like the revocation of the saliva ban, the decision to remove the ban on captains was made on Thursday, March 20 during the captains’ meet in Mumbai. The rule has existed for several years in IPL, prompting the BCCI to ban captains for slow over-rates.
Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya was also penalized over the same last year, and his punishment has now carried on to his team’s opening match of IPL 2025.
RR’s New Home Ground Likely To Host KKR Vs LSG: Report
The Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati, also the secondary home ground of the Rajasthan Royals franchise, will likely host the match between KKR and LSG in the upcoming IPL 2025 season. Earlier, the Cricket Association Of Bengal (CAB) urged the BCCI to relocate or postpone the KKR vs LSG fixture from Kolkata’s Eden Gardens owing to security concerns.
It is worth noting that since the match was originally scheduled to be played on April 6, the occasion will also coincide with the religious festival of Ram Navami.
Bonus Points For Away Wins? WTC 2025-27 Likely To See Changes
The 2025-27 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle will likely undergo some major changes. As per a Telegraph report, the International Cricket Council (ICC) may introduce bonus points system for teams that will register an away win, or for teams that can win by an innings margin.
As of now, the final match of the 2023-25 WTC cycle will be played in England in June this year between Australia and South Africa. The subsequent 2025-27 cycle will commence with a five-match Test series between the visiting Indian team and hosts England later that same month.
PCB To Upgrade More Stadiums
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to upgrade more cricket stadiums after reportedly suffering significant losses in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy at home. In a significant development, an announcement made by CFO Javed Murtaza stated that PCB will be enhancing the stadiums in Multan, Faisalabad and Hyderabad in a bid to revamp the cricketing infrastructure in Pakistan.
The PCB also renovated the stadiums for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, only for Pakistan to play just one match at home in the entire tournament.
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