ICC's New Rule: Five Runs Off Your Score for Wasting Time

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-10-03

The ICC just dropped a rule that could change how batters approach their innings. Starting October 1, 2026, if you're not ready to face the ball in time, it's going to cost your team. And not just a little—we're talking five penalty runs each time you're caught wasting time. ### The New Time-Wasting Penalty: How It Works Picture this: you're at the crease, adjusting your gloves, tapping your bat, maybe taking a quick look around. The bowler's waiting. The fielders are waiting. The umpire's watching. Under the new playing conditions, if you're not ready to face the ball within the prescribed time, you get a warning. Do it again, and it's a final warning. The third time? That's five penalty runs awarded to the fielding team. And it keeps adding up from there. The bowler's end umpire is the one who enforces this. They'll inform the non-striker, any incoming batter, the fielding captain, and the other umpire each time it happens. It's all spelled out in Condition 41.10.3 of the playing conditions. ### What Counts as Time Wasting? The prescribed time is basically the window a fielding team and bowler need to get set for the next delivery. Once the bowler hits the top of their run-up, you're expected to be ready. There's one big exception: if a batter is dismissed, the incoming batter gets two minutes to get to the crease and prepare. Fail to do that, and you risk being timed out. In multi-day matches, the warnings reset after every 80 overs. So if you pick up two warnings in one 80-over block, you start fresh in the next block. That's a small mercy, but it's there. ### Women's Cricket Gets Its Own Ball Specs In the same release, the ICC announced that women's cricket will now have its own ball size and weight. Until now, manufacturers often made one ball for both women's and junior cricket. The new limits set three distinct specs: one for men, one for women, and one for juniors. It's a move toward better equipment tailored to the game. ### Other Changes You Should Know The ICC release also lists a few other tweaks that were approved earlier: - Pink balls can now be used in daytime Tests. - A wicket in the final over of the day no longer ends play automatically in multi-day matches. The over continues. - Umpires have more freedom to decide when a ball is finally settled. That call can matter most on the last delivery of a close game. The ball no longer has to be in the hands of the bowler or wicketkeeper for that decision. - The requirements for a run-out or stumping have been clarified. The fielder or wicketkeeper must have complete control of the ball, and just touching it while breaking the stumps doesn't count as a dismissal. ### What This Means for the Game These changes are all about pace of play and fairness. The five-run penalty is a strong deterrent—nobody wants to give away runs for something as avoidable as not being ready. It'll be interesting to see how batters adapt. Will they rush? Will they find new ways to waste time without getting caught? Only time will tell. For players and fans alike, it's a reminder that cricket is always evolving. The ICC is trying to keep the game moving and make sure both sides have a fair shot. And with the women's ball specs, they're acknowledging that one size doesn't fit all. So next time you're watching a match, keep an eye on the batter's routine. If they're taking too long, you might just see the umpire step in. And if it happens three times, those five runs could be the difference between winning and losing.