ICC To Trial Stop-Clock Rule In West Indies vs England T20I Series
West Indies and England to play five T20Is in December 2023 (x.com)
The International Cricket Council (ICC) will implement the stop clock rule on a trial basis in the forthcoming five-match T20I series between West Indies and England. The rule aims to reduce the time taken between overs to quicken up the pace of play.
The experiment will initially be conducted for six months, i.e., until the commencement of next year's T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies, as announced by the ICC back in November.
WI vs ENG T20Is to run with stop clock rule
As per the stop clock rule, the bowling team will need to commence their subsequent over within 60 seconds of completing the previous over. A penalty of five runs will be imposed on the fielding side if they repeat the offence for the third time in an innings.
The move is aimed at improving slow over-rates in cricket and was devised a year after ICC had implemented the playing conditions where fielding teams were forced to keep one lesser fielder outside the circle in the final over.
The stop clock rule was first proposed in 2018 by a Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) committee comprising legendary cricketers Sourav Ganguly, Ricky Ponting and Kumar Sangakkara.
Hosts West Indies is slated to take on England in a series of five T20I matches between December 12 and December 21, and the series serves as a dress rehearsal for both sides on their road towards the 2024 T20 World Cup in June next year.
The Kensington Oval in Barbados will host the first match before the two teams travel to Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago for the final four T20Is.
 "Aakash Saini")
