ICC introduces five-run penalty for batters wasting time
The new rules penalise batters for repeated time-wasting and introduce stricter ball specifications across formats.
The International Cricket Council announced a series of changes to playing conditions across formats on 1 October 2026. Batters who waste time on three or more occasions within an innings, or an 80-over block in Tests, face a five-run penalty.
If a batter is not ready to face the ball within the prescribed time, a warning is issued for the first offence, a final warning for the second, and five penalty runs awarded to the fielding side for the third and each subsequent offence. The changes take effect for series starting on 1 October or later.
The ICC also standardised ball specifications for women's cricket, allowed pink balls in daytime Tests by mutual agreement, and clarified that a fielder must have complete control of the ball for a run-out or stumping. Sourav Ganguly, ICC Men's Cricket Committee Chair, said the changes aim to improve the pace of the game while maintaining its integrity.
CricHubb Take
The five-run penalty shifts enforcement from umpires' discretion to a fixed sanction, reducing ambiguity around time-wasting calls.