Captains to name playing XI after toss as SA20 announces revised playing conditions

SA20 is set to start from January 10th (PC: Twitter)

South Africa’s new T20 franchise league SA20 has announced its new playing conditions for the upcoming inaugural season starting on Tuesday, January 10th. The organizers have added a few interesting playing rules for the brand-new franchise league to improve its quality and have its own identity around the world.

Six teams will play a total of 30 matches in the league stage and three matches in the playoffs comprising two semi-finals and a final.

Unlike other T20 leagues, SA20 will allow captains to give a list of 13 players before the toss and decide the final playing XI after knowing the result of the toss.

Moreover, there have been changes in the way the points system will work to encourage the teams to put on a dominant performance. The winning team will be getting four points and also a bonus point which will end up generating a total of five points from one match.

The bonus point will be awarded to a team who scores at a run rate of 1.25 times that of the opposition. In case there is no result, both teams will have two points each, with the losing team not receiving any points.

Adjusted Rules for SA20

• The captains will not be charged but the teams will be punished with field restrictions during the game for slow over-rates.
• There is also an adjustment to the free-hit rule where a bowled dismissal can’t lead to byes if the ball rebounds after hitting the stumps.
• The batters will further not be able to take the extra run off any intentional attempt to run out the batter if a direct hit deflects off the stumps.
• Both the teams can take two strategic timeouts each of 2 minutes and 30 seconds in duration in each inning.

Only two fielders will be allowed outside the 30-yard circle during the six-over powerplay.  

In the situation of teams finishing with equal points, the right to go through to the final and those to play in the play-off will be determined as follows:

• the team with the most number of wins; 
• If still equal, the team with the highest number of bonus points;
• If still equal, the team with the highest net run-rate;
• If still equal, the team with the most number of wins over the other team(s) who are equal on points and have the same number of wins;
• If still equal, the team with the highest runs-to-wickets ratio throughout the tournament;
• If still equal, the team with the highest wickets to runs ratio throughout the tournament.

In a match declared as a No Result, run-rate will not be applicable.

The first semi-final will be played between the team finishing top of the league stage against the team finishing fourth. The second semi-final will take place between the teams finishing second and third respectively.

The winners of the two semi-finals will play the summit encounter.

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