ICC announces Major rule changes - Big decision regarding Mankad and Saliva Ban

International Cricket Council (or ICC) is the highest cricket governing body in the World. They control all the International tournaments across the globe and govern the rules of the game of cricket. Every year, ICC sits down to look into whether any necessary amendments are required in the already existing rule of Cricket and changes them as needed. 

Today, ICC announced their revised list of rules as of 2022 in a statement ahead. Cricket enthusiasts were waiting for this for quite some time now as the T20 World Cup 2022 is set to start in about a month?s time and ICC usually comes up with these rule changes right before ICC events. The changes that they made this year are quite significant and will change the way we conceive the game in many ways. 

In this article, we shall be taking a look at all the major rule changes that ICC has announced. 

ICC Major Rule Changes 2022

1. Batters returning when caught: This rule was made last year but ICC has further stressed it in this year?s announcements. When a player is caught out, the new batsman coming in will have to take strike irrespective of whether the players had crossed mid-pitch or not. 

2. Incoming batter ready to face the ball: The new batsman should now be ready to take strike within 2 minutes in ODI and Test cricket while the time span for the same in T20I remains 90 seconds. 

3. Striker's right to play the ball: If some part of the batsman?s bat or the body does not remain on the pitch while playing a shot, it will be deemed as a dead ball. If any ball forces the batsman to play a shot from outside of the pitch, it will be a no-ball. 

4. Unfair movement by the fielding side: If the fielding side tries to make some unfair field movements while the bowler is bowling, the umpire can now award the batting team 5 runs as a penalty. That is an addition to the dead ball that will be given. 

5. Running out of the non-striker: Running out of the non-striker which was earlier known as ?Mankad? and came under ?Unfair practices? in the ICC rule book has now been moved to the ?Run-out? section. 

6. Bowler throwing towards striker's end before delivery: Earlier, the bowler could throw the ball towards the striker?s end attempting a run-out if the striker was outside of the crease. This will now be given as a dead ball. 

7. Other major decisions: The fine that was started to be imposed on the fielding team?s captain (if they took excess time to finish their designated overs) in T20I will now also be applicable in ODI matches. This rule will start to be imposed after ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Super League in 2023.

8. Use of saliva to polish the ball: The use of saliva to polish the ball which was temporarily banned when the matches resumed after COVID-19, has now been made permanent as it is unhygienic. 

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