ICC to Implement New Playing Conditions from Next Month

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that it will start implementing new playing conditions from next month, including the return to a single ball in ODIs. The revised Playing Conditions (PCs) will take effect from June in Test matches and from July in international white ball games.

Key Changes

• Phasing out the second ball from ODIs, with two new balls used for overs 1-34 and one ball used for overs 35-50.
• Changes to concussion replacement rules, requiring teams to submit five replacement players to the match referee before the start of a match.
• Minor adjustments to boundary line catches and DRS clauses.

Impact

• The new PCs will come into effect from the next cycle of the World Test Championship (WTC), starting with the first Test between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh on June 17.
• The White ball alternations will also be applicable from the series between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
• The ODI PCs will be adjusted from the first ODI between the countries in Colombo on July 2, and T20Is will adopt changes from the first game between the same countries on July 10 in Colombo.

Note: The existing rules will apply to the World Test Championship (WTC) final, which starts on June 11 at Lord's between Australia and South Africa.