The BCCI has finally removed the impact player rule from the conduct of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the national domestic T20 competition. However, earlier reports confirmed that the BCCI would help maintain the impact player rule in the IPL, with the clauses mentioned in the IPL.
Through a communication on Monday evening, the SMAT decision was conveyed to different state associations by the Board of Cricket Control in India. The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy is scheduled to start from the 23rd of November to the 15th of December.
The Rule of the Impact Player was introduced into the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) as they experimented with the rule in the domestic competition before introducing it into the global franchise-level cricket competition, the IPL.
Several skippers, as well as coaches and cricket experts, say that this rule can never be to the advantage for the sake of players in the competition. It was ruled out the higher possibility of playing all-rounders, as teams included different batters and bowlers across innings in a match.
Alongside the Impact Player rule, the 2-bouncer rule is supposed to stay in the SMAT
The BCCI IPL governing committee has already announced that both the two bouncers as well as the Impact player rule are supposed to stay in the competition for its 2025 season.
The most relevant clause that remains with the playing conditions imposed on a bowler is that one could bowl only two bouncers per over in a limited-overs game.
“41.6.2 A bowler shall be limited to two fast short-pitched deliveries per over.”
Globally, the ICC permits only two bouncers in every over, as even the likes of several cricket associations abide by the same rule. However, the BCCI is the only committee that allows the old rule of 2-bouncers permitted in their domestic as well as IPL-level matches.
