The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to implement the latest rule changes made by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) to the game of cricket in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2022), which begins from March 26 onwards.

This new rule pertains to the batter being on the strike in event of the two batters crossing while a catch is taken. Earlier, the non-striker who had crossed over, used to take the strike on the next ball, while the new batter stood at the other end. This led to several players taking advantage in event of a high catch.

However, MCC changed the rule to which stated that the new batter will only take the strike unless it is a change of the over. This rule was experimented with during the Hundred tournament and was popular enough to be made official in all cricket.

The BCCI said and endorsed the recent Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) suggestion that the new batsman will have to take the strike even if the batsmen in the middle crossover during a catch.

“Upon a catch dismissal, irrespective of whether the batsmen have crossed or not the incoming batsman will take the strike, except if it’s the last ball of the over,” the BCCI informed the teams.

BCCI Has The Discretion To Conduct The Play-Offs At Any Other Venue

The BCCI communique to the ten franchises whose teams will be participating in the IPL 2022 also had information about the venue for the playoffs. The league stage of the tournament featuring the 70 matches will be played across four venues in Maharashtra. Wankhede Stadium, Brabourne Stadium, DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai, and MCA Stadium in Pune will host the league stages, which will also have 12 double-headers.

However, it was speculated that four playoff matches might be played at the world’s largest cricket stadium, the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. But with the latest information, this is no longer something that can be confirmed.

Says the circular: “The BCCI shall have the right (at its cost) to organise and stage the play-off matches at any stadium (including any stadium) and shall be entitled to retain all revenues from the play-off matches save in respect of sums relating to such play-off matches which are due to franchisees in respect of the Central Rights Income (as such term is defined in the Franchise Agreement) under their Franchise Agreement.

“BCCI shall (at its cost) be entitled but not obliged to organise the closing ceremony in respect of the League which, if staged, shall (unless BCCI in its discretion decides otherwise) take place on the day and at the Stadium where the final is played.”

The Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders will face off in the IPL 2022 opening encounter on March 26 in Wankhede Stadium.

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