BCCI Drops Strict New IPL Field Rule — Move Unfairly and Pay the Price
Move Unfairly on the Field and Pay: BCCI’s Tough New IPL Rule
Simple rule. Harsh penalty.
The BCCI has told IPL teams what happens if fielders or wicketkeepers make suspicious movements after the ball is bowled — five penalty runs to the batting side, Dead Ball called immediately. No warnings. No second chances.
Teams had been pushing boundaries for a while. Small shuffles. Subtle repositioning after the bowler releases. The kind of thing that flies under the radar until someone decides it shouldn’t. The BCCI decided.
There’s a rotation fix too. Any player who leaves the field for 15 minutes can’t bowl or bat until he’s been back for another 15. Before this, smart teams were rotating key players off the pitch to keep them fresh for specific overs or high-pressure moments. That’s done now.
None of this is complicated. But cricket has a way of turning simple rules into long debates — and any umpire awarding five penalty runs in a tight T20 is going to feel it.
Five runs can win a match. Or lose one. The BCCI knows that. So do the franchises.