T20 World Cup 2024: Five-run penalty imposed on USA against India – An Explainer
The five-run penalty imposed on the USA gave India room to breathe in its T20 World Cup game here on Wednesday. From 35 needed off 30 balls, it turned to a feasible run-a-ball equation.
USA captain Aaron Jones was warned twice by the umpires that his side had taken more than a minute between overs. On the third infraction, the penalty was imposed.
“The fielding side shall be ready to start each over within 60 seconds of the previous over being completed,” the playing conditions of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 states.
“On the third and any subsequent occasion in an innings, the bowler’s end umpire shall award 5 penalty runs to the batting side, informing the captain of the fielding side, the batters and the other umpire,” the law further states.
USA coach and former Australia all-rounder Stuart Law said that his players were not accustomed to the new law. “We have had a few warnings in earlier games, and it is something we talk about. It is a rule that has only just come in.
A lot of our players would not have heard about it before we played in the Bangladesh or Canada series earlier this year. It is something we need to address,” Law said.
Law believes that “five runs wasn’t going to affect the outcome of the game”.
“Players know the rule, but if you haven’t played with this rule for a long time, it is very difficult to have it embedded in your brain. The umpires gave us two clear warnings. It is up to the players to respond, and we didn’t respond fast enough,” Law said.