New ICC rules: five-run penalty for time wasting from Pakistan vs Sri Lanka on 9 October

New ICC rules that took effect on 1 October 2026 mean a batter who keeps the bowler waiting can now cost his side five penalty runs. The changes apply in men's and women's international cricket to every series that starts on or after 1 October, so the first Pakistan men's matches played under them will be the T20Is against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi from 9 October, followed by the ODI tri-series with England and Sri Lanka from 18 October. Series already running, including the Asian Games, stay under the old conditions.

The five-run penalty: how it works

The ICC already sets a time within which an incoming or existing batter must be ready to face. The new playing condition adds a ladder of sanctions for the batting side when that time is missed:

1. First offence: a warning.
2. Second offence: a final warning.
3. Third offence and every one after: five penalty runs to the fielding side.

The rule is aimed at the batting side. Fielding sides already face a stop clock between overs in white-ball cricket, with five-run penalties for repeated breaches, so time-wasting now carries a run cost at both ends. In a tight T20 chase in Rawalpindi, five runs is more than a boundary.

Other changes in the new ICC playing conditions

• Overthrows, defined. A run only counts as an overthrow when the fielder was trying to hit the stumps to stop runs or to run a batter out. A simple misfield that runs away is no longer an overthrow.
• When the ball is "finally settled". Umpires now decide when the ball is dead; it no longer has to be back in the hands of the bowler or wicketkeeper.
• Held in hand. For a run-out or stumping, the fielder must have complete control of the ball when breaking the stumps. Brushing it on the way through is not enough.
• Pink ball in day Tests. Teams can agree before a Test to use the pink ball in daytime to cut bad-light stoppages. The choice is fixed for the whole match; no switching midway.
• Separate ball specifications for men's, women's and junior cricket, with tighter tolerances.

What it means for Pakistan fans

Pakistan's home season is the first test. The Sri Lanka T20Is run from 9 to 13 October in Rawalpindi (tickets from Rs 300), then Pakistan meet England and Sri Lanka twice each in the ODI tri-series in Rawalpindi and Lahore (full tri-series schedule). The Tests against Sri Lanka in November would be the first in Pakistan where the pink-ball option is available, if both boards agree.

The Asian Games final against India on Saturday (10am PKT) is played under the old conditions, because the tournament began before 1 October. Fixtures and live scores are in our cricket match centre.

Quick answers

• Who gets the five runs? The fielding side.
• Is there a warning first? Yes, two: a warning and then a final warning.
• Does it apply to the Asian Games? No. Only to series that start on or after 1 October 2026.