ICC allows pink ball in daytime Tests, changes playing conditions

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday, 1 October, announced several changes to cricket's playing conditions across all formats, effective for all international series starting on or after that date. The most significant change allows the use of pink balls in daytime Test matches by mutual agreement between the teams, as a trial to reduce loss of play due to bad light. The decision must be made before the start of the match and cannot be changed afterwards.

Other major changes include that play will no longer stop automatically when a wicket falls in the last over of a day or session, provided conditions are fit for play. The ICC also clarified the difference between an overthrow and a misfield, and gave umpires greater leeway in determining whether a ball is fully settled. Batters who waste time will receive two warnings before the batting team is penalised five runs per further offence.

In white-ball cricket, the innings break in T20Is will be a fixed 15 minutes, and the head coach will be allowed to enter the field of play at drinks intervals. The new wide ball rule, trialled in ODIs and T20Is, has been permanently added to the playing conditions. ICC Men's Cricket Committee Chair Sourav Ganguly said the changes were made to improve the pace of the game while maintaining its integrity.