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'All other penalties are useless': Ex-IND opener reserves praise for new ICC regulation, says 'bring this rule in IPL'
The new rule was recommended by the ICC Cricket Committee, which regularly discusses ways to improve the pace of play in all formats.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday put forward some new rules for the T20 format, with an in-match penalty rule for slow over-rate catching everyone's eye. The change, which will come into effect with the upcoming one-off match between West Indies and Ireland, stipulates that a fielding side must be in a position to bowl the first ball of the final over of the innings by the scheduled or rescheduled time for the end of the innings.
In case of the fielding side is not in such a position, they will have to keep an extra fielder within the 30-yard circle for every over they bowl after the stipulated time. The change was recommended by the ICC Cricket Committee, which regularly discusses ways to improve the pace of play in all formats.
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A majority of fans welcomed the tweak, saying that the rule will help in making the format even more interesting. Former India opener Aakash Chopra also backed the idea of stricter regulation for slow over-rates and described it as a "dangerous penalty".
"The ICC has said that the slow over-rate will be seriously penalized. In my opinion, there cannot be a more dangerous penalty than this. All other penalties are useless, whether you ban the captain or in the IPL you fine the team - financial fines, the match fee is cut - there is no value of that," said Chopra on his YouTube channel.
The cricketer-turned-commentator hailed it as a fantastic rule, making people pay for their mistake at that moment itself. "The value is only of this thing - that you make a mistake and you had to pay for it at that moment itself. People will run quickly now and will try to finish the overs on time. In my opinion, it is a fantastic rule," he added.
The first men's match to be played under the new playing conditions will be the one-off tie between the West Indies and Ireland at the Sabina Park on January 16. The first T20I of the three-match series between South Africa and the West Indies on January 18 will be the first women's match played under the new playing conditions.
The in-match penalties are in addition to the sanctions for slow the over rate outlined in Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel. Chopra also called for the induction of the penalty in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as well. He also suggested the idea of awarding runs to the opposition if the fielding side bowls overs after the stipulated time.
"Another option was to have a runs penalty in the overs you bowl after the stipulated time. You double the run rate and give that penalty, that is also an option but I feel this is a very good way.
"Bring this rule in the IPL as well. The teams take four overs at times to finish a match. Why? That's just not fair. If you start the match at 7:30, it finishes at 11:30. Earlier it used to start at 8:00, which means it became 12:00. It is everyone's loss," he added.
