The cricket Committee of the International Cricket Council (ICC) has decided to implement the bowl-out, cricket's version of the penalty shootout, in the Champions Trophy.
The method will be used only in the semifinals and the final if the matches are tied and if there is no rain. Rain affected matches will either be decided by the Duckworth-Lewis method, net run rate, spin of coin or draw of lots.
"This rule is a part of the playing conditions that the ICC has set for the tournament,” said Prof. Ratnakar Shetty, Tournament Director. "While it has been in existence for some time, it has never been implemented." A bowl-out requires the two captains to nominate five bowlers from the playing eleven for the job. The captains then have to toss to decide who begins the bowl-out. The five bowlers shall bowl a delivery each, and in alternate order, at a full set of stumps including bails.
A wicketkeeper is positioned behind the stumps. At the end of the bowl-out, the team that hits the stumps the most number of times will be adjudged the winner. In case the teams are level after five hits, another bowl-out will take place with the same five bowlers till there is a difference of one hit between the teams.
The semi-final and the final will have reserve days for rain, but in case the match cannot be held, the winner will be decided by a spin of the coin. In case of a rain-affected match, where the Duckworth-Louis system cannot be implemented, the winner will be decided on the basis of a better net run rate in the second round. If the net run rate is also the same, then the winner is decided by draw of lots.
{{/usCountry}}The semi-final and the final will have reserve days for rain, but in case the match cannot be held, the winner will be decided by a spin of the coin. In case of a rain-affected match, where the Duckworth-Louis system cannot be implemented, the winner will be decided on the basis of a better net run rate in the second round. If the net run rate is also the same, then the winner is decided by draw of lots.
{{/usCountry}}In the final, if there is no result due to rain, then the two teams will be declared joint winners. This norm was introduced by the Cricket Committee of the ICC, which is headed by Sunil Gavaskar. The bowl-out has earlier been used in the Twenty20 format.