Slow over rate rule in cricket: All you need to know

Slow over rate is a term we frequently hear during cricket matches and is often followed by the news of a captain or a team being handed a penalty.

In the 2021 Indian T20 League, four captains - Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni, Eoin Morgan and Virat Kohli - have already been fined INR 12 lakhs each as their teams maintained a slow over rate.

But what does slow over rate mean?

What is the over rate in cricket?

Over rate is the average number of overs bowled by the fielding side in an hour of play.

According to ICC’s rules, teams are expected to maintain an average of 15 overs per hour in Test Cricket, 14.28 in ODIs and 14.11 in T20s.

Essentially, in ODIs, the bowling side is given 3.5 hours to complete their quota of 50 overs and in T20s, teams are expected to complete their 20 overs while bowling with an hour and 25 minutes.

If teams exceed these pre-set marks, they are deemed to have a slow over rate, upon which, the governing body dishes out fines and in some cases, bans as well.

Is the over rate different in the Indian T20 League?

Including the two strategic timeouts, which last for two minutes and 30 seconds, the bowling side is expected to maintain an over rate of 14.11 and finish their quota of 20 overs in one hour and 30 minutes, barring any delays due to weather or any such unforeseen circumstances.

What is the penalty for a slow over rate?

Here are the penalties for slow over rate according to the Indian T20 League Code of Conduct:

1. For the first offence in a season, the captain of the bowling team will be fined 12 lakhs.
2. For the second offence in a season, the captain of the bowling team will be fined 24 lakhs and the other 10 players will either be fined six lakhs or 25% of their match fees, depending on which amount is lesser.
3. For the third and each subsequent offence in a season, the captain of the bowling team will be fined 30 lakhs and will also be banned for one match. The other 10 players in the team will also be fined 12 lakhs or 50% of their match fees, depending on which amount is lesser.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter.com / @imVkohli