India vs South Africa T20Is And ODIs To Be Played Under New ICC Rule

The International Cricket Council's (ICC) has introduced new stop-clock rule on a trial basis for ODIs and T20Is being played between December 2023 and April 2024. Approximately 59 international games will be played under this new rule to speed up the game of the white-ball cricket. The first T20I match between England and West Indies will be played with the electronic clock, the official site of ICC wrote. The India vs South Africa T20I and ODI series will also be played under the same period which the ICC has informed will have the new rule implemented.

"We are continually looking at ways to speed up the pace of play across international cricket," Wasim Khan, ICC general manager – cricket said. (World Cup Hero Of Australia Travis Head Wins ICC Player Of The Month Award)

He added, "The stop clock trial in white ball international cricket follows the introduction of a successful new playing condition in 2022, which resulted in the fielding team only being allowed four fielders outside of the inner circle if they were not in a position to bowl the first ball of their final over in the stipulated time. The outcomes of the stop clock trial will be assessed at the end of the trial period."

It will be interesting to see whether the series between India and South Africa will also be played with the new rule introduced by ICC. It has been confirmed that the England and West Indies series will have the new rule by the official website.

ICC implements new rule to speed up the pace of play in white-ball cricket 

More https://t.co/jJEmGNrBxK — ICC (@ICC) December 11, 2023

Under the sub-clause, there are exceptions to the above, and the clock if started already can be cancelled under the following circumstances.

- A new batter comes to the wicket between overs

- An official drinks interval has been called

- The umpires have approved the onfield treatment of an injury to a batter or fielder

- The time lost is for any circumstances beyond the control of the fielding side.

Under the new regulation, the bowling team must be prepared to bowl the first ball of their next over within 60 seconds of the previous over ending, as the stop clock will limit the amount of time allowed between overs. When this isn't done for the third time in an inning (after two warnings), the team fielding will be penalized five runs.

In other news, Australian batter Travis Head, who smashed an explosive century to help Australia win their sixth ICC Cricket World Cup title, has been named as the ICC Men's Player of the Month for November 2023. Head beat tough competition from teammate Glenn Maxwell and India seamer Mohammed Shami to claim the honour.

Maxwell scored a magnificent double-century against Afghanistan during the World Cup, while Shami had a brilliant run with the ball during the same tournament, becoming the leading wicket-taker with 24 wickets in just seven matches, as per the ICC. But it was Head's 220 ODI runs in November--including a half-century and a century - that proved the difference, with the left-hander winning his first Player of the Month award.

The 29-year-old paid tribute to his teammates for their help in his journey over the last year.

"It has been an incredible 12 months for the team which it has been a real privilege to be a part of. The way we have navigated a home summer, away trips to India, England, South Africa, India and the World Cup has been a great credit to Pat (Cummins), the players and the staff," Head said as quoted by ICC.

"I was fortunate that they kept faith in me for the World Cup after breaking my hand, so it was a great opportunity for me to pay them back. I felt the World Cup was amongst the best I have ever batted, so maybe having a rest before every campaign is the key."

"It is a great honour to be recognised with this award, but it is a team effort. Without my teammates across all formats, this would not have happened; so these types of awards are as much for them as they are for me," he added.

These two best knocks during November came in the most critical stage of Australia's Cricket World Cup campaign. These innings won the Head, Player of the Match award in the semi-final and final of the 50-over showcase.

In the semi-final, he made an impact with the ball initially, derailing the South Africa innings rebuild, claiming the important wickets of Heinrich Klaasen and Marco Jansen. This helped restrict the Proteas to a modest total, which was overhauled in a tense chase. Head led Australia's effort, smashing an aggressive 62 from 48. In the final against India, he changed the course of the game with a stunning catch, which sent back the dangerous Rohit Sharma.

Then he smashed a brilliant 137 from 120 balls to help Australia win the game by six wickets as they chased a modest Indian total of 240. Australia's innings was in the doldrums at one stage, having been reduced to 47/3. However, Head kept his cool and picked pace after seeing off a tough new ball period. His special knock was studded with 15 fours and four sixes.

Head is only the second Australia Men's player to take the award after David Warner, who won it in November 2021. Head has shown a sensational form of late. He was also instrumental in Australia winning the ICC Men's World Test Championship final earlier this year with a brilliant 163 in the first innings against India. He claimed the Player of the Match award in the game, which his side won by 209 runs.

This year in 29 matches across all formats, Head has scored 1,627 runs in 38 innings at an average of 46.48 and a strike rate of above 98, with three centuries and nine fifties. His best score is 163. (With ANI inputs)