ICC changes powerplay rule for T20I matches

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has approved a new change to the Powerplay rule in men’s T20 International (T20I) matches. This new rule will start in July 2025 and is part of the ICC’s plan to make the game smoother and fairer.

Previously, when a T20 match was shortened due to rain or other reasons, the Powerplay overs were rounded to the nearest full over. But with the new rule, powerplay overs will be rounded to the nearest ball instead of a full over.

For example, if a match is reduced to 8 overs, the Powerplay will now be 2.2 overs instead of just 2. In a 9-over match, the Powerplay will be 2.4 overs instead of 3. This helps keep the Powerplay around 30% of the total overs, making it fairer for both teams.

In the old system, the Powerplay in shortened games sometimes gave more advantage to the batting side. For example, 3 overs in a 9-over match meant 33% of the total innings, which was too much. Now, the new rule will fix that and keep it more balanced.

This updated system has already been used in England’s T20 Blast and has now been approved by the ICC Men’s Cricket Committee for international use. The goal is to make all T20 matches, even shortened ones, just as fair and exciting as full-length games.

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