Key changes across formats with new ICC Playing Conditions 

Usage of Pink-balls in day-time Tests, and time-wasting penalties for batters are among the key changes across formats following the new Playing Conditions.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has introduced a series of key changes to its Playing Conditions across men's and women's formats - including new measures to address time-wasting, standardise match ball specifications for women and clarify certain aspects of fielding.

The changes came into effect yesterday for all the international series starting on 1 October 2026 or later. 

The full updated Playing Conditions for Men and Women across all formats are available in the Rules and Regulations section of the ICC website, and incorporate changes to the MCC Laws of Cricket that come into effect yesterday.

The ICC Men’s Cricket Committee Chair Sourav Ganguly said, “There are some important changes to the Playing Conditions. 

“These changes have been carefully considered to ensure the Playing Conditions continue to reflect the needs of the modern game while maintaining its integrity and consistency."

Here's an overview of the key changes:

1. All Format Changes

Penalties for batters wasting time

This playing condition has been refined. 

If a batter is not ready to face the ball within the prescribed time, a warning will be 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. 

Code of Conduct provisions may also be invoked in case of repeated offences.

Tolerance tightened for size and weight of women’s match balls

The specifications for Men’s cricket balls allow only a limited tolerance in size and weight. 

For Women’s and Junior cricket, however, manufacturers have often produced a single ball for both categories. 

New limits have now been introduced, establishing three distinct size and weight specifications for Men’s, Women’s and Junior cricket.

Overthrows

Ambiguity over what constitutes an overthrow has been removed.

An 'overthrow' is defined an attempt to direct the ball towards the stumps to prevent runs or effect a runout. A 'misfield', whether an attempt to stop the ball or pass it to another fielder, does not constitute an 'overthrow'.

Ball settled...

The umpire will now have greater leeway in determining whether a ball is finally settled, which can often be extremely important - particularly on the final ball of a close game. The ball no longer must necessarily be in the bowler’s or wicketkeeper’s hands to be finally settled.

Complete control over the ball

For a ball to be considered held by a fielder for a runout or stumping, the fielder must have complete control of the ball. Merely touching the ball with the hand while it breaks the stumps does not establish holding it.

2. Test Cricket-specific changes*

Usage of Pink Balls

As a trial, pink balls may be used in daytime Tests by mutual agreement, to reduce loss of play due to bad light. 

The use of a pink ball must be agreed before the start of the Test and once agreed, must apply for the duration of the match. 

The decision cannot be changed after the match has started. Switching from red to pink ball is also not allowed once the match has commenced. 

Final wicket of the day does not necessarily determine the end of play

Play will no longer automatically come to an end at the fall of a wicket in the last over of the day if that over has not been completed, if the weather and conditions are fit for playing the game. 

This change has been made because it does not save time as the remaining deliveries still need to be bowled the next day, while it will also reward the fielding team and keep drama in the game.

* The above rule about a wicket falling just before stumps can be applied by national organisations to first-class playing conditions in their country, and it will be in place for this summer's Plunket Shield

T20I and ODI specific (already implemented in women’s cricket, where applicable)

Innings Interval (T20Is)

A fixed 15-minute interval is the rule now in T20I cricket. This can be reduced to a minimum of 10 minutes when time is lost. 

Coaches in Drinks Break (ODIs and T20Is)

The ODI and T20I Playing Conditions are now aligned to allow the ‘Head Coach or their designate’ to enter the field of play at drinks intervals.

Wide Ball (ODIs and T20Is)

The new wide ball rule, which was initially trialled in the ODI and T20I format, has now been permanently added to the ODI and T20I Playing Conditions. 

The rule was trialled in an effort to provide leniency for a bowler who saw the batter moving around prior or during a delivery.

As part of the changes, the position of the batter’s legs at the point of delivery was used as the reference point for a wide, even if the batter subsequently moved across to the off side.

Article added: Friday 2 October 2026