Published: Aug 29, 2022, 07:18 PM (IST)
Edited: Aug 30, 2022, 08:20 AM (IST)
New Delhi: Former Indian cricketer and now a professional commentator, Aakash Chopra has always raised his concern over the delays cricket teams make while finishing the over. He did suggest the governing body of the game of cricket, amend some rules and make it a punishment for the bowling team to put an extra player inside the 30-yeard circle if they could not complete the course of 20 overs in the time assigned. It looks like the International Cricket Council (ICC) has taken him seriously and changed the rules. This is a dangerous thing that could happen to any team and no captain would ever wish for this to happen with his team.
Chopra through his tweet praised the decision taken by ICC and remarked it as one the best things to have happened to T20 cricket. “An extra fielder inside the circle, if you don’t finish your overs in the stipulated time, is one of the best things to have happened to T20 cricket. One extra fielder derails the bowling plans in the death overs…best way to force the teams to get a move on,” the tweet read.
An extra fielder inside the circle if you don’t finish your overs in the stipulated time is one of the best things to have happened to T20 cricket. One extra fielder derails the bowling plans in the death overs…best way to force the teams to get a move on. #IndvPak #AsiaCup
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) August 29, 2022
The impact of the new ICC rule was seen in India vs Pakistan match in Asia Cup 2022. Both the teams were penalised and were directed to keep an extra player in the 30-yard circle after the span of 17 overs. Though the punishment was given to both teams, the Babar Azam-led Pakistan Cricket team was the one that actually paid the price.
In the death over, Hardik Pandya took advantage of the rule as Pakistan was playing 5 players inside the box and led India to a thumping victory.
