MATCH PLAYING CONDITIONS

These conditions govern every league match, semifinal and Final of the 2026 USASC T20 National Premier League. Each match consists of one innings per team, normally 20 overs per innings. All provisions apply equally to both teams unless an express clause states otherwise.

The MCC Laws of Cricket, 2017 Code, Fourth Edition (2026), effective 1 October 2026, apply except where expressly varied here. The October 2026 ICC Men’s T20 International Playing Conditions are adopted only for the provisions expressly identified in this edition; international eligibility, ICC disciplinary jurisdiction, ICC stop-clock requirements and Test/ODI rules are not imported. USASC shall retain the adopted reference documents with the tournament records.

The order of precedence for cricket and match-result matters is: (a) this edition and any properly issued amendment; (b) the MCC Laws adopted in 1.2. The tournament schedule and expressly incorporated appendices form part of this edition. Separate USASC regulations govern their stated administrative subjects but cannot silently alter a playing condition, eligibility category, run penalty, points allocation or qualification rule.

The on-field umpires decide matters of fact, safety, fair play and official time. The Match Referee resolves interpretation and match administration consistently with this text. The Cricket Operations Committee administers registration, standings and competition arrangements. Disciplinary decisions are made through the process in 17.7. An administrative interpretation cannot reverse an umpire’s factual decision or bypass an appeal right.

Captains cannot vary these conditions by mutual agreement unless a clause expressly permits it. References to players and officials are gender-neutral. A nominated deputy captain assumes the captain’s duties during an absence.

Amendments must be numbered, dated and circulated in writing to all franchises and officials before the affected match. Substantive eligibility, points, qualification and sanction changes must not operate retrospectively. Safety directions may be issued immediately, recorded and communicated to both teams.

Each franchise has a registered squad of 15. Each captain shall submit the playing XI and up to four eligible substitute players to the Match Referee BEFORE the toss takes place. The umpires and scorers shall receive the same team sheet before the toss. Post-toss nomination is not permitted.

Once submitted, the XI may change only with the opposing captain’s consent and the Match Referee’s approval, or under the Impact Player and concussion-replacement provisions. Only nominated substitutes may field unless the Match Referee permits an exceptional addition from the eligible registered squad and records the reason.

A team must have at least eight eligible nominated players physically available to start. If fewer than eight are available 15 minutes after the scheduled start, it forfeits, unless the delay was an officially recorded common interruption affecting both teams. Team-caused delay does not reduce the allocated overs; continuation beyond the slot end is governed by 6.2.2. The 15-minute forfeiture threshold remains unchanged. Officials shall apply 17.6 where the delay constitutes time-wasting.

A late nominated player must report to the umpires before the Powerplay in the match’s first innings has ended. A player reporting later cannot participate in that match. An arriving player is subject to the adopted absence and penalty-time rules. An eligible nominated substitute may cover an authorised absence under 15.1. No player may bat before being physically present and eligible.

A suspended player cannot be nominated, substitute, enter the playing area or act as an Impact Player or concussion replacement. Dressing-room access is permitted only outside the playing area and subject to the disciplinary order.

Every player must be born on or before 4 November 1986. Government-issued evidence of date of birth must be accepted before registration. There is no under-age dispensation. The same requirements apply to all substitutes and replacements.

A player must currently reside in the United States and be either: (a) a U.S. citizen; (b) a lawful permanent resident of the United States, including a green-card holder; or (c) lawfully present in the United States in valid work-visa status. The applicable status must remain valid throughout participation. Visitor status alone does not qualify. No additional overseas, guest or out-of-state quota applies to players meeting this clause.

Before registration, a player shall provide official evidence of citizenship, permanent residence or current work-visa status. For work-visa players, the applicable admission or approval records must establish current authorised status; a visa stamp alone is insufficient. USASC may request additional official evidence where a document does not establish the required category.

Every player, including citizens and permanent residents, must provide proof of current U.S. residence identifying the player and residential address. Acceptable proof is an unexpired government-issued address document, a current signed lease, or a utility bill or bank statement issued within the preceding 90 days. Where the document is in another household member’s name, USASC shall require a signed residence declaration and reliable evidence linking the player to that address. A hotel booking or correspondence address alone is insufficient. No minimum period of U.S. residence is imposed.

USASC shall verify eligibility before listing a player as cleared. Initial verification must be complete at least 48 hours before the tournament’s first scheduled match. A replacement must be verified before the relevant team sheet is submitted. No unverified player may participate. Players must report a material change in status or residence immediately.

A player may represent only one franchise in the tournament. Draft selections determine initial squads. Replacements require prior written Committee approval, meet every eligibility requirement and permanently replace the outgoing squad member; the squad cannot exceed 15. No inter-franchise transfer is permitted after a player has appeared. Draft order and completed selections shall be retained as administrative records; no unpublished rating, budget or guest-player restriction may invalidate a registered selection.

Status and address documents shall be accessible only to authorised verification and dispute officials, securely stored and not circulated to opposing teams. Public team lists shall show clearance, not immigration documents. USASC shall retain verification records until outstanding disputes are resolved and otherwise for no longer than 90 days after the tournament, unless a documented retention duty requires longer.

A team may raise a supported eligibility objection before the toss or, for evidence discovered later, within 24 hours of discovery. The Committee shall give the affected player/team the evidence and a meaningful opportunity to respond. An unconflicted decision-maker shall give written reasons. Proven participation by an ineligible player results in forfeiture of the affected match under 11.4; false information may also attract discipline. Mere allegations do not change a result.

Eligibility and other administrative appeals follow 17.8. The Match Referee may prevent an uncleared player taking the field pending determination. Documentary requirements apply equally to the XI, substitute fielders, Impact Players and concussion or squad replacements.

Each team may introduce one Impact Player from its nominated substitute list. Use is optional. The incoming player becomes a full participant replacing one member of the active XI.

The captain shall identify the outgoing and incoming players to an umpire before the substitution takes effect. Permitted points are before either innings, at the end of an over, after a wicket or when a batter retires. No substitution may occur while the ball is live. Officials shall inform the opposing captain and scorers.

No more than 11 batting places may be used in a team’s innings, including the Impact Player. An approved like-for-like concussion replacement occupies the injured player’s existing place under 15.3; it does not create a twelfth place. If the outgoing player has already batted, the captain must nominate another player who has not batted and who will not bat in that innings. An outgoing retired-hurt player cannot resume. The substitution cannot restore a wicket or increase the wickets available.

The Impact Player has an independent bowling entitlement under 9.3, including the reduced-innings limits. Overs already bowled by the outgoing player do not reduce that entitlement. If introduced after a wicket or retirement in the middle of an over, the Impact Player cannot complete that over; another eligible bowler shall do so under 9.3.4.

The outgoing player takes no further part in any capacity, including as a substitute fielder. Recorded performances remain valid. Applicable warnings, bowling suspensions and unserved penalty time transfer to the incoming player; a tactical substitution cannot evade a sanction or restore a fielding place withdrawn under Law 42. The scorers shall record any nominated non-batter and inherited restrictions.

An unused Impact Player cannot be introduced after the main match ends. An Impact Player already introduced may take part in a Super Over if otherwise eligible. A concussion replacement is a separate process and may be approved in addition to an Impact Player. At all times only 11 active players may field.

by the on-field umpires under Section 16. If no separate referee is present, an unconflicted designated competition

official performs the administrative duties; on-field decisions remain with the umpires.

reviews, substitutions and penalty adjustments. The scoreboard is an aid; the reconciled official score approved by

the umpires controls. A discrepancy shall be resolved before play resumes where it may affect the target or result.

timing records and agree all deadlines, stoppages, allowances and delay incidents, recorded in seconds. Captains

shall receive the adjusted deadline and any material changes. A public clock does not override the umpires’ official

record.

Before the toss, the Match Referee shall certify the start/cutoff times, boundary plan, balls, medical arrangements, DLS provision, umpire-review equipment and communications. Appendix G states the required record. A missing appointment or record must be resolved before play; it cannot be treated as permission to improvise a new rule.

The referee shall retain team sheets, scorecards, incident reports and result certification. Officials with a material team or personal conflict shall not decide eligibility, protests or discipline concerning that interest.

Each innings begins with one new approved white leather cricket ball selected by the fielding captain from the umpires’ approved supply. Only one ball shall be in use at a time. The ball shall weigh 156–163 grams and have a circumference of 22.4–22.9 centimetres. These are the adopted adult men’s T20 specifications for this competition.

USASC shall provide one approved make, model and construction from a consistent supply for all matches and record the actual product in the equipment register before the tournament. The umpires shall inspect each ball and keep an adequate supply of approved new and used spare balls readily available at the ground to minimise time lost when a replacement is required. If the approved product is unavailable, a compliant equivalent may be used only after both captains are informed and the Match Referee records the substitution; neither team may provide a preferential ball.

If a ball is lost, damaged or becomes unfit for play during the Powerplay, the umpires shall replace it with a new approved ball. After the Powerplay, the replacement shall be an approved ball of comparable wear and condition to the ball being replaced. The applicable Powerplay is determined by the innings allocation under Section 12 and Appendix B. The umpires shall make the replacement promptly from their spare supply and inform both captains and scorers.

Ball-condition offences remain governed by Law 41 and Section 17.2. Where a replacement is required because of unlawful alteration of the ball, those provisions govern the replacement and penalties. Players shall not substitute, alter or apply prohibited material to a ball.

Bats must comply with Law 5 and pass the adopted bat-gauge test, including a maximum edge thickness of 40 mm. Illegal bats shall not be used. Umpires may inspect equipment at any time.

Players shall wear the approved franchise uniform and contrasting identification. Equipment, footwear and clothing must be safe. Devices capable of communicating tactical instructions are prohibited on the field, except officials’ authorised communications and medically necessary devices approved by the referee.

Helmets are optional and are not compulsory for batters, wicketkeepers or fielders under these playing conditions. Players who choose to wear a helmet shall use a properly fitted cricket helmet compliant with BS 7928:2013, including its applicable amendments.

Wicketkeepers and batters shall use appropriate protective equipment. A damaged helmet shall not be used; the player may replace it or continue without a helmet under 4.3.1. Any other unsafe item of equipment must be replaced before it is used. Reasonable umpire-approved replacement time receives an allowance; deliberate or avoidable equipment delays do not. A ball striking discarded equipment is dealt with under the adopted Laws, not an informal penalty.

The pitch is 22 yards (20.12 metres) between the bowling creases and otherwise complies with Law 6. Creases and wickets comply with Laws 7 and 8. The Ground Manager and umpires shall inspect preparation, footing, markings and wicket safety before play. A new pitch is not guaranteed for every match.

clearance from fences, boards and fixed hazards before the first match on each layout. The same boundary applies

to both innings; it cannot be moved for tactical purposes. A safety-driven change requires an official stoppage, notice

to both captains and a recorded reason.

The 30-yard fielding restriction area shall be clearly marked under 12.1. Sight screens and boundary markers must not endanger players. Practice, rolling, mowing, drying and covering follow the adopted Laws, subject to safe venue management.

play contrary to their safety decision. The inspection plan shall support the published schedule without assuming a

fresh pitch for every fixture.

Match slots are 10:00 a.m.–1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m.–6:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.–10:00 p.m., Central Time, as allocated in Appendix C. The toss shall take place between 30 and 15 minutes before the scheduled start. A delayed toss caused by a neutral interruption does not move the cutoff; team-caused delay is governed by 6.2.2. Ceremonies and broadcasts must fit outside scheduled playing time.

The innings’ official commencement is the umpire’s call of Play immediately before its first delivery. Umpires shall record that time. A team’s avoidable failure to begin after Play is called remains chargeable delay; it cannot reset the start.

For a 20-over innings, the fielding side must commence the final scheduled over within 85 minutes of the official innings start, plus timeouts actually taken and approved allowances under 8.2. This is the final-over commencement deadline, not a deadline to complete the innings. Missing it triggers only the run and fielding-restriction penalties in Section 8; no overs are deducted for exceeding the allocated time. A further 4 minutes 15 seconds is reserved for final-over completion for scheduling calculations only.

The scheduled slot end is the cutoff for neutral-interruption calculations in the main match under Section 10. Super Overs are governed by Appendix F and may continue beyond that time. It shall not shorten either main-match innings solely because of team-caused delay or a slow over rate. In that case, play shall continue beyond the slot end as necessary to complete the allocated overs or achieve an earlier lawful result, subject to safe conditions. Run and fielding penalties remain applicable. Where the cutoff applies following a neutral interruption, no new delivery may begin at or after it; a delivery already begun is completed until the ball is dead.

The continuation required by 6.2.2 for team-caused delay is authorised by these conditions and does not require a separate schedule amendment. The Match Referee shall record the reason and notify both captains, scorers and tournament operations. Any other extension of the recorded cutoff requires a written USASC schedule amendment issued before the affected match’s toss and applying equally to both teams. Captains cannot agree to waive penalties or reduce overs because of slow play.

Overs may be reduced under Section 10 only for neutral interruptions, such as weather, unsafe ground conditions or an authorised stoppage outside either team’s control. Team-caused delay and exceeding the allocated innings time are not grounds for reducing overs, ending an innings at the slot end or revising a target through DLS. Apply Section 8 for a slow over rate and Section 17.6 for deliberate delay, without duplicating run penalties. Refusal to play remains subject to 11.4.

Play ends when the required result is achieved, the allocated innings are completed, conditions prevent further play, or an applicable cutoff under 6.2.2 is reached. The scheduled slot end alone does not end a main-match innings delayed solely by a team. The umpire calls Time when the ball is dead. The final result follows Sections 10 and 11.

On hearing thunder, observing nearby lightning or receiving a reliable venue lightning warning, umpires shall suspend play and direct participants to the designated safe shelter. Play may resume only after at least 30 minutes since the last thunder or lightning indication and after official clearance. Any renewed indication restarts the wait. A stricter venue warning or evacuation requirement prevails.

Volunteers will be present to assist with first-aid needs. A means of contacting emergency services shall be available at every match. The organisers will not provide medical staff for concussion assessments. Each team is responsible for arranging any concussion assessment required for its own players.

The Organizing Committee shall establish and record the event’s heat, hydration and medical response protocol before play. Umpires may order extra drinks, stop play for heat illness or other medical danger, and suspend play when safe continuation is doubtful. There is no additional blanket daily bowling limit beyond the innings quotas. The Organizing Committee may impose an individual safety restriction, and any tournament-wide workload rule must be published in writing before it takes effect. Medical assistance takes priority over timing and tactical restrictions. A player shall not be penalised for complying with an authorised safety direction.

The innings interval is 15 minutes, measured from Time to Play. If the first innings ends early, the interval starts immediately and the second innings begins correspondingly earlier. When time has been lost, the referee may reduce the interval to a minimum of 10 minutes and shall announce the revised resumption time before the interval begins. The time saved is included once when recalculating available play.

Each innings allocated 15–20 overs has two strategic timeouts of 2 minutes 30 seconds each. The fielding side chooses the first within its permitted window and the batting side chooses the second. Appendix B gives the windows. If no request is made, the umpires take the timeout at the end of the last permitted over. In innings of 14 overs or fewer there are no strategic timeouts.

A request must reach an umpire before the bowler begins the run-up for the last delivery of the chosen over. The break begins when that delivery becomes dead. Where a stoppage already exists, the umpire may combine the timeout with it to save time. Players shall move back into position after two minutes and be ready at 2 minutes 30 seconds. No practice is permitted.

timeout already taken remains in the timing record; it is not deducted retrospectively merely because the innings is

later shortened. A cancelled or untaken timeout attracts no allowance.

drinks or medical breaks require umpire authorisation and are available irrespective of innings length. During an

authorised drinks interval, the Head Coach or one identified designate may enter the field, consult the team and

leave within the allotted break. This permission does not authorise extra breaks or access during live play.

The 85-minute requirement

In each 20-over innings, the fielding side must commence the last scheduled over within 85 minutes of the official commencement, plus authorised allowances. The same requirement applies to the first and second innings. The final over commences when the bowler starts the run-up for its first delivery or, without a run-up, starts the bowling action. Pretending to start and then abandoning an action solely to stop the clock does not satisfy the requirement.

For an innings reduced before it begins to N overs, the base final-over commencement allowance is N × 4 minutes 15 seconds. The formula applies to all scheduled innings of five to 20 overs, including those below 10 overs. This allowance governs commencement of the final scheduled over; it does not require the innings to be completed within the same allowance.

Before the match, the umpires shall synchronise their clocks or watches to a common time reference and inform both playing captains of the official match time. The umpires keep the official time and are the final authority on calculations and allowances. Allowable time includes authorised injuries and treatment, drinks, timeouts actually taken, equipment failures, reviews, weather/ground interruptions, identified batting-side delay and other circumstances outside the fielding side’s control. Avoidable delay caused by the fielding side receives no allowance. Ordinary changes of bowler or field, routine ball retrieval and normal wicket celebrations are part of the base allowance unless an exceptional circumstance is recorded.

The adjusted deadline equals the official innings start plus the base allowance for the current allocation plus all approved allowances. When the allocation changes after play begins, use the revised total allocation, retain actual authorised time already lost and add later allowances once. Do not reset the innings start or grant the same stoppage twice. Any neutral downtime that has been charged to neither side is an allowance. Appendix E gives examples.

Officials shall communicate the initial and revised deadline to captains, batters and scorers. If the revised deadline is already past, the fielding restriction applies from the start of the next over under 8.3.1, never during an over; the run-penalty clock accrues prospectively from the announced revision time. Do not impose a retrospective penalty solely because an overs reduction moved the deadline backwards. Penalties properly incurred before an interruption remain valid.

In addition to the restriction, award five penalty runs to the batting side for every completed 255 seconds of chargeable delay after the adjusted deadline and before the final scheduled over commences or the innings ends, whichever occurs first. Overs actually delivered during the delay do not determine the award. Approved further stoppages are excluded.

Total automatic penalty = 5 × floor(chargeable delay seconds ÷ 255). No rounding up applies. A part-period carries forward during that innings’ late-over interval. The umpire shall award only each newly accrued five runs and inform both captains and scorers. No prior warning is required for this automatic timing penalty.

The automatic penalty clock stops when the final scheduled over starts; it does not stop the separate prohibition on wasting time during that over. Deliberate subsequent delay is dealt with under 17.6. No overs are deducted for a slow over rate, and completion beyond the scheduled slot end is governed by 6.2.2. If the innings ends before the deadline, no Section 8 penalty applies.

Section 8 awards are team penalty extras, not charged to an individual bowler, and do not consume a delivery. Include every award in the score and target before resumption or result confirmation.

Section 17.6 governs identified deliberate team delay and batter-readiness offences. Seconds assigned to a penalised deliberate-delay episode are excluded from the Section 8 penalty clock. Fielding-side deliberate delay still earns no extension to the deadline: the fielding restriction may apply, but the same seconds cannot earn two run penalties. The distinct clocks, warning counts and scoring adjustments shall be recorded.

The record shall show start, allocation, allowances, deadline revisions, automatic delay seconds, deliberate-delay seconds, warnings, fielding restrictions and awards. Disciplinary reporting may accompany a run penalty without duplicating that scoring adjustment.

Each team has one innings, normally limited to 20 six-ball overs. Wides and No balls are not legal balls. An innings ends when its allocation is exhausted, no further batter is available, all available wickets have fallen or the winning target is reached.

A captain may not declare or tactically forfeit an innings; Law 15 is excluded. Refusal to play is dealt with under 11.4. There is no compulsory retirement at a particular score or number of balls.

No bowler may bowl more than four overs in a 20-over innings. For a reduced allocation N, divide N by five: every bowler may bowl the whole-number quotient, and up to the remainder number of bowlers may bowl one additional over. Appendix B lists all allocations. This rule applies to the Impact Player.

When overs are reduced after play begins, earlier legal deliveries remain valid. Recalculate against the revised total allocation. A bowler already at or above the revised entitlement may bowl no further ball; any unavoidable prior excess is not penalised retrospectively. Officials shall identify the remaining entitlements before resumption.

A bowler cannot bowl consecutive overs or parts of consecutive overs. A partially bowled over completed by two bowlers counts as a full over against each bowler’s individual quota, while only six legal balls count toward the team’s innings allocation.

If a bowler cannot complete an over, another eligible bowler who bowled no part of the preceding over shall complete it and may bowl no part of the following over. This completion must comply with the bowler’s quota. No tactical substitution permits an extra over or a suspended bowler to continue.

The captains toss in the presence of an umpire under 6.1. The winning captain shall immediately notify the decision to bat or field; the notified decision cannot be changed. A registered eligible deputy may act if the captain is unavailable; the subsequent team sheet shall identify the acting captain.

A runner may be permitted only under the adopted Law 25 injury provisions and with umpire approval. Fatigue alone is insufficient. The runner must meet that Law’s eligibility, clothing and equipment requirements.

Retirement and resumption follow Law 25, except that an Impact-replaced or concussion-replaced batter cannot return. A batter retiring without injury or another lawful reason is subject to the Law’s consent and retired-out provisions. The scorer shall record the reason and status.

This section applies only to neutral interruptions; it must not be used to reduce overs because of team-caused delay or a slow over rate. Use the applicable cutoff in 6.2.2. Lost neutral time is first absorbed within remaining schedule capacity, including reduction of the interval to 10 minutes and cancellation of untaken timeouts where appropriate. If insufficient time remains because of the neutral interruption, reduce overs using 4 minutes 15 seconds per over, or 42.5 seconds per legal ball for an unfinished innings. This is a scheduling calculation, not an automatic penalty or target method.

Before play starts, test whole-over allocations from 20 downwards and select the largest for which (2 × (N + 1) × 255 seconds) + interval seconds + scheduled timeout seconds for both innings fits the time remaining to cutoff. The extra 255 seconds per innings reserves the final-over completion allowance in 6.2.1. Use Appendix B to determine whether each candidate allocation has timeouts. Each innings must have at least five overs unless a valid earlier result is achieved.

During the first innings, count all legal balls already delivered and seek the largest whole-over allocation N that gives both sides the same maximum, does not fall below balls already delivered, and fits the remaining time. Required remaining time = (6N − legal balls already delivered) × 42.5 seconds + 6N × 42.5 seconds + 510 seconds of final-over completion reserve + interval + all retained untaken timeouts. Remove cancelled timeouts before recalculating. If no equal allocation is feasible, end the first innings at its recorded state and use DLS for the remaining chase if a valid match remains possible.

During the chase, available additional legal balls = max(0, floor((remaining seconds − retained untaken timeout seconds − 255 seconds of final-over completion reserve) ÷ 42.5)). Add these to the balls already delivered, divide the sum by six and round down to select a revised whole-over total, capped at the prior allocation. It must not fall below the balls already delivered. Use DLS for a reduction. If no feasible allocation allows resumption, determine the result at the suspension state under 10.3 and 11.1.3. A cutoff may terminate an innings partway through an over; that actual state is used for the terminal DLS calculation, rather than a fabricated completed over.

Overs.balls notation is not decimal notation: 12.3 means 75 legal balls. Preserve a mid-over state and complete only the remaining permitted deliveries after resumption. Scorers shall receive the allocation, remaining balls, bowling quotas, Powerplay endpoint, deadline and target together.

Use Duckworth–Lewis–Stern for resource-changing interruptions after play begins. If both allocations are reduced equally before the first ball and there is no later resource-changing interruption, the winning target is Team 1’s total plus one; no DLS adjustment is needed solely for that pre-match reduction.

The Match Referee shall be responsible for all DLS calculations. Immediately after the first innings is completed, the Match Referee shall calculate the second-innings winning target and prepare the DLS par-score table, using the confirmed first-innings score, wickets and innings allocations. Before the second innings begins, the Match Referee shall provide a printed copy of the winning target and DLS par-score table to each playing captain and supply the same information to the umpires and scorers. If a subsequent interruption requires a recalculation, the Match Referee shall provide the revised winning target and relevant par score to the umpires and both captains before play resumes. The umpires shall confirm and announce the target to the scorers and players. USASC shall provide an authorised DLS implementation and a tested backup before the first match. The edition, software version and backup shall be recorded in the operations register, and the same implementation shall be used consistently throughout the tournament. Generic tables or a different DLS edition shall not be substituted mid-match.

Record wickets, legal balls, all resource-changing interruptions and the exact cessation/resumption state, including an interruption that terminates an innings. Apply penalty adjustments through the adopted DLS penalty-run procedure. Record custom batting deductions separately and present the adjusted first-innings score to the Match Referee before the target is calculated. Any recalculation must be independently checked by the scorers.

If the primary calculation fails, use the tested backup of the same method. If neither can produce a reliable necessary target/par score, pause within the cutoff while correcting the failure. If unresolved by cutoff and no valid result has already been achieved, declare a no-result. Do not use an improvised run-rate or wickets-comparison formula.

For an interrupted result, Team 2 must receive at least five overs of legal deliveries, unless it wins earlier or its innings lawfully ends earlier, including dismissal of all available batters. At resumption, a sufficient allocation and time to reach five overs must be available. An early completed first innings does not itself invalidate a result. If these conditions cannot be met and no earlier result exists, the match is a no-result.

There is no scheduled reserve day in this edition. Unfinished matches are not automatically replayed. Apply

tournament begins, specifying continuation states, time and venue; it cannot be invented after a particular result is

known.

In an uninterrupted match, Team 2 wins on reaching Team 1’s adjusted total plus one. If the completed innings totals are equal, the main match is tied.

In a completed DLS chase, reaching the announced winning target wins; one run below it is a tie. Example: target 151 means 151 wins and 150 ties. A target is not a par score.

If the chase cannot resume after the minimum-opportunity requirement is satisfied, compare the score at suspension with the DLS par score for that state: above par wins, equal to par ties, below par loses. Settle all penalties before confirming the result.

League points are: win, including an awarded match, two; loss, zero; tie, one each; no-result, one each. There are no bonus points. No Super Over shall be played in a league-stage match.

Rank teams within each group by: (1) points; (2) number of wins; (3) net run rate; (4) head-to-head points among the still-tied teams; (5) witnessed drawing of lots by the referee. For more than two tied teams, step 4 uses a mini-table of those teams. Use unrounded NRR to rank and display it to three decimal places.

NRR = aggregate runs scored ÷ aggregate overs faced − aggregate runs conceded ÷ aggregate overs bowled. Convert legal balls to overs by dividing by six. For an all-out innings use its full allocated balls, not the earlier balls actually faced. For a chase completed by reaching the target use actual legal balls faced. Include official team totals after penalties and deductions. Exclude no-results, forfeits and all Super Over play. If a lawful result is reached without a legal delivery to Team 2 because of opening penalty credits, exclude that match from NRR to avoid a zero-denominator calculation; the result and points still stand.

For a completed DLS-adjusted chase, credit Team 1 with the final winning target minus one over Team 2’s final allocated balls; credit Team 2 with its actual adjusted score and relevant balls under 11.2.3. If a chase is terminated and a DLS result awarded at suspension, credit Team 1 with the par score at suspension over Team 2’s balls received; use Team 2’s actual adjusted score over those balls. An all-out Team 2 remains charged its full allocation. This adjusted treatment replaces its actual first-innings score for NRR only.

Eight franchises compete in two groups of four. Each plays every other franchise in its group once. The first two in each group qualify. Semifinal 1 is Group A first versus Group B second; Semifinal 2 is Group B first versus Group A second. The semifinal winners contest the Final. Appendix C lists the fixtures.

Failure to supply eight eligible players under 2.1.3, proven participation by an ineligible player, or refusal to play under the adopted Laws permits an awarded win to the opposing side. The referee shall distinguish a genuine safety interruption from refusal. An administrative forfeit requires written findings and the affected team’s opportunity to respond under 17.8. On-field refusal follows the adopted umpire procedure.

A single-team forfeit awards two league points to the opponent and none to the defaulting team, and is excluded from NRR. If both teams forfeit, neither receives points. In a knockout, the non-defaulting opponent advances or wins the Final. If both semifinal teams forfeit, that semifinal produces no finalist; the other semifinal winner wins the tournament. If both finalists forfeit, no champion is declared. Disciplinary action is separate.

If a league-stage match is tied, no Super Over shall be played and each team shall receive one point. If a semifinal or Final is tied, one Super Over shall be played under Appendix F. It shall start five minutes after the main match ends, subject to safe conditions. No second Super Over shall be played. The scheduled slot end shall not prevent or terminate the permitted Super Over.

If the semifinal Super Over is tied, the team that finished higher in its league group shall qualify for the Final. If the Final Super Over is tied, the team that scored more runs during the Powerplay of its main-match innings in the Final shall be declared the winner. The relevant Powerplay is defined in Section 12 and Appendix B; use the official team score accumulated during those Powerplay deliveries, including extras and any penalty adjustments attributable to that period. Do not use league position or tournament-wide net run rate to decide a tied Final Super Over. If the two Final Powerplay scores are equal, both teams shall be joint champions.

If unsafe conditions or an unavoidable interruption prevent completion of the permitted Super Over, or a knockout match is a no-result, and neither side forfeited, the higher-placed league-group team shall advance from a semifinal; in the Final, both teams shall be joint champions. An incomplete Super Over shall not be decided by partial scores, DLS, boundary counts or wickets lost. The Powerplay comparison in 11.5.2 applies only after a completed tied Final Super Over.

The umpires and scorers shall reconcile and certify the result, penalties and scorecards before publishing standings. Clerical corrections follow the adopted Laws; administrative protests follow 17.8.

The restriction area comprises two 30-yard (27.43-metre) semicircles centred on the middle stump at each end, joined by parallel straight lines. Mark it clearly with a continuous line or safe non-metallic discs at approximately five-yard intervals.

Section 8 late-over restriction reduces the latter maximum to four from the start of the next over as specified in 8.3.1.

It is not introduced during an over. The full 20-over Powerplay is the first six overs. Appendix B governs shortened

innings.

restart it. If the revised endpoint has passed, subsequent deliveries are non-Powerplay, including the rest of an

incomplete over. Apply the appropriate limit at each delivery.

wicketkeeper may be behind the striker’s popping crease on the leg side. These requirements are additional to the

circle restrictions. A breach attracts a No ball and Free Hit.

governed by Laws 27 and 28; the applicable Law determines the remedy for movement or obstruction rather than an

automatic circle penalty.

When a run-out or stumping depends on a fielder using a hand or arm holding the ball to break the wicket, that fielder must have complete control of the ball in the relevant hand, including a wicketkeeper’s gloved hand. Merely touching it is insufficient. Direct breakage by the ball remains governed by Law 29 without requiring prior possession. Apply Laws 29, 38 and 39 together.

No ball carries one penalty run in addition to other lawful runs, does not count as a legal ball and overrides Wide. The ball remains live unless another provision makes it dead. No special two-run final-over bonus applies.

wicket during delivery. The special early-ground-leaving run-out provision concerns the non-striker and is governed

by Law 38.3. A No ball permits dismissal only Run out, Obstructing the field or Hit the ball twice under the adopted

Laws. Handled the ball is not a separate dismissal.

The delivery after any No ball is a Free Hit. If that delivery is Wide or No ball, the Free Hit carries forward to the next legitimate delivery. Free Hit dismissals are limited to those available from a No ball. No field change or exchange of positions is allowed unless the striker changes, or the No ball arose from a fielding-restriction breach; in the latter case change only what is needed to correct the breach.

A bowler may deliver one fast short-pitched ball per over, meaning a ball passing or expected to pass above shoulder height of the striker standing upright at the popping crease. A second or subsequent such ball is a No ball and creates a Free Hit. A head-high ball called Wide counts toward this quota; a simultaneous No ball overrides Wide. Numerical compliance does not remove the umpires’ power to act against dangerous bowling under Law 41.6.

A non-pitching ball passing or expected to pass above waist height of the upright striker at the popping crease is a No ball. Dangerous instances attract the Law 41.7 first-and-final warning and suspension procedure; deliberately dangerous deliveries attract that Law’s immediate suspension procedure. Short-pitched and non-pitching warning records remain separate. No three-incident dangerous-full-toss progression applies.

A suspended bowler cannot bowl again in the innings or evade suspension through an Impact substitution. An eligible replacement completes any unfinished over under 9.3.4. Officials shall communicate warnings and suspensions to both teams and scorers and report serious or repeated dangerous conduct.

Judge the striker’s position, including the legs, at the point of delivery together with the normal batting position. An earlier stance during the run-up is not the reference position. Apply the normal-stroke reach test and movement exceptions consistently: movement cannot manufacture a Wide if it causes the ball to pass wide or brings it into normal-stroke reach. Contact with the striker’s bat or person as it passes prevents a Wide. No ball overrides Wide.

A ball passing above the head of the upright striker after pitching is Wide unless overridden by No ball. Wide carries one run plus other lawful runs, is not a legal ball and remains live until otherwise dead. Runs are scored under Law 22. No extra final-over bonus applies.

The bowler’s-end umpire determines when the ball is finally settled. It may be held by any fielder or stationary on the ground; possession by the bowler or wicketkeeper is not required. Players must not assume that mere possession or a stationary ball makes it dead. This judgment applies equally to the final delivery of an innings or Super Over.

Other Dead Ball events, signals, revocations and whether a delivery counts are governed by Law 20. A player’s demand or assumption does not replace the umpire’s decision. The final delivery remains live until a lawful Dead Ball event occurs.

An overthrow is an attempt to direct the ball towards the stumps to prevent runs or effect a run-out. An attempt to stop the ball or pass it to another fielder is a misfield, not an overthrow. Classify the incident before applying the adopted Law 19 boundary and running/crossing provisions; a misfield boundary is not automatically an overthrow boundary merely because a fielder propelled the ball.

Boundary allowances are four and six under Law 19. The umpire shall identify the correct allowance, completed runs, run in progress where applicable and extras, and signal the total to the scorers. Discarded helmets, deliberate short runs and obstruction attract their specific adopted Law procedures.

An authorised substitute may field but cannot bat, bowl or captain; the substitute may keep wicket with umpire consent. A substitute does not become a full replacement merely by taking the field. The absent player may return only with umpire permission and subject to Law 24.

The full Law 24 penalty-time protocol applies, including its exemptions, thresholds, maximum, service of time and bowling/batting restrictions, together with Law 25 where relevant. Officials shall record departures, returns and outstanding time; permission to return is not permission to bowl immediately. This incorporation replaces abbreviated or conflicting absence provisions.

Unserved penalty time and applicable restrictions carry into the next innings and any Super Over as required by the adopted Laws and Appendix F. Impact and concussion replacements inherit the outgoing player’s applicable restrictions. Medical removal is not automatically exempt; the Law’s actual exemption conditions control.

A player with suspected concussion after a head or neck injury shall be removed immediately. Each team is responsible for assessing and handling suspected concussion involving its own players. The organisers will not provide medical staff for concussion assessments. The player cannot return during that match. Before allowing participation in a later match, the team shall complete its assessment and determine that the player can return safely. If an assessment has not been completed, the player shall remain out.

The team shall submit a concussion-replacement request identifying the injured player, incident, time, assessment and proposed eligible like-for-like replacement. The Match Referee may approve a concussion replacement from the registered squad, including an approved verified squad replacement. Where practical, submit role-based replacement options before the toss. Approval does not consume the Impact Player option.

The referee shall assess the injured player’s expected remaining role and may restrict the replacement’s batting or bowling to prevent excessive advantage. Bowling overs already delivered by the injured player count against the shared role entitlement: the replacement may bowl only the remainder that player could have bowled under 9.3, unless the replacement is separately introduced as the tactical Impact Player replacing a different active player. For the batting-place cap, an approved concussion replacement is treated as the injured player occupying the same place. If the injured player was already dismissed, the replacement cannot bat again in that place; if the player retired hurt, the replacement may bat subject to the approved role restriction, with each player’s own runs recorded separately. No replacement restores a wicket or permits the injured player to return.

A concussion replacement inherits applicable warnings, suspensions and penalty time. Both players’ participation and performances shall be recorded, together with any role restrictions. Once approved, the injured player takes no further part. The team’s concussion assessment and the Match Referee’s replacement approval are separate decisions.

or an express adopted Law provision. Otherwise use a substitute fielder or lawful retirement; there is no unrestricted

injury replacement.

The tournament shall use an Umpire Review System only. Reviews may be requested solely by the on-field umpires. Players and captains have no right to request a review.

Before each match, the Match Referee shall confirm that the replay feed, viewing screen and communication arrangements are operational. Replays requested by the on-field umpires shall be displayed on the designated screen. No third umpire shall participate in reviewing footage or making decisions. Any replay technician shall provide technical assistance only.

The on-field umpires may request a replay to review the following dismissals and other decisions:  Run-out — whether a batter was out of their ground when the wicket was fairly put down.  Stumping — whether the striker was out of their ground when the wicketkeeper fairly put down the wicket.  Fair catch — whether the catch was completed fairly, including whether the ball touched the ground.  No ball — only when a wicket falls and the on-field umpires are unsure whether the wicket delivery breached the applicable height limit or the bowler’s front-foot or back-foot requirements. A No-ball review is not available when no wicket has fallen.  Boundary — whether a boundary was scored, whether it counts as four or six, and whether a fielder contacted the boundary while touching the ball.  Short run — whether a batter completed the run by making good their ground.

Reviews are limited to the matters listed above. A No-ball review may be initiated only following the fall of a wicket and only to resolve uncertainty about the bowler’s foot placement or delivery height on that delivery. This restriction does not prevent the umpires from calling a No ball directly during play. LBW decisions and Wide calls are not reviewable under this system.

An on-field umpire shall request the replay and identify the matter to be checked. Once the ball is dead, play shall remain suspended while the requested footage is shown on the designated screen.

The on-field umpires shall examine the available footage, consult as necessary and make the final decision. The relevant on-field umpire shall communicate the decision to the players and scorers and give the appropriate signal.

An original on-field decision shall be changed only where the footage provides conclusive evidence. If footage is unavailable, inconclusive or the replay system fails, the original decision shall stand. Where no original decision was made, the on-field umpires shall decide using the available evidence and the applicable Laws.

Time spent on an authorised review shall be recorded and treated as an allowance under 8.2.1. The same review procedure applies during any Super Over.

Captains are responsible for team conduct and prompt compliance with officials. Umpires apply the adopted Laws 41 and 42 to unfair play and on-field misconduct except the delay provisions below. Different offences retain their individual warning and sanction procedures.

follow their specific adopted Law procedures in full, including calls, warnings, run awards and bowling suspension.

There is no single generic first-warning/five-run sequence for all unfair-play offences.

A deliberate front-foot No ball is dealt with under Law 41.8, including immediate bowling suspension where required. Completion of the over follows 9.3.4.

Authorised treatment, safety breaks, reviews, weather delays and other approved stoppages are not offences. The umpires shall identify the responsible side and record the conduct and chargeable time. Apply only one run-penalty regime to a particular incident or period. Separate offending acts may attract their own penalties and disciplinary reports. A. Batter readiness — October 2026 T20 adaptation

The striker shall be ready when the umpires and fielding side are ready to begin an over and when the bowler is ready to begin the run-up during an over. An incoming batter should be ready to take guard, or the partner to receive, within 90 seconds after a wicket, subject to authorised stoppages. The separate Timed Out rule remains: the incoming batter or partner must be ready to receive within three minutes under the adopted MCC Law 40. The ICC 90-second Timed Out dismissal variation is not adopted.

The batting side’s first readiness offence in an innings receives a warning; the second a final warning; the third and every subsequent offence receives five penalty runs awarded to the fielding side. Warnings accumulate for the team regardless of the batter. Inform both batters, captains, the other umpire and scorers and advise each incoming batter of the warning count. Repeated or deliberate conduct may be reported under the Code of Conduct Version 1.

A readiness offence handled under 17.6.3 does not also incur the per-minute team-score deduction under 17.6.8. Credit the five-run award to the fielding side’s most recently completed innings, or its next innings if it has not yet batted. In the first innings the award is a five-run opening credit for Team 2; in the second innings add it to Team 1 and revise the chase target. Do not deduct it from the offending batter’s personal score. B. Deliberate team delay

This separate regime covers deliberate team-controlled delay outside an individual readiness incident: for example, refusal to return after an interval, an unjustified team conference, an unauthorised tactical break, persistent unnecessary field changes or deliberately slow equipment changes. It applies equally in both innings and during the final over. The umpire must identify deliberate/avoidable conduct; ordinary slow progress alone is addressed by Section 8.

For a side’s first deliberate-delay episode in an innings, warn its captain, require immediate resumption and record the episode; no deliberate-delay run penalty applies. On the second episode, penalties begin immediately from the umpire’s direction to resume. There is no second warning or grace period. A continuous failure to obey the first direction to resume becomes a second episode after 60 seconds of avoidable delay; record the escalation time. Warnings attach to the side in its role for that innings.

From the second episode onward, accumulate chargeable deliberate-delay seconds for that side in that innings. Every completed 60 seconds incurs five runs; fractions carry forward across later episodes in that innings and are not rounded up. Exclude approved time and separately recorded readiness incidents. A new innings resets the deliberate-delay warning count and accumulated seconds.

If the batting side causes the penalised delay, deduct five runs per completed minute from its team total in that innings, including when batting first. Record deductions separately from individual runs and extras. The displayed adjusted total cannot fall below zero; an outstanding deduction offsets subsequent runs in the same innings, and the final adjusted score is max(0, gross team score minus deductions). If the fielding side causes it, award five penalty runs per completed minute to the batting side as team penalty extras, not to an individual or against a bowler.

The umpire shall announce each newly accrued adjustment to both captains and scorers. Settle all adjustments before declaring a result. Once the ball is dead and the adjusted chase score reaches its lawful target, the match ends; later time cannot generate another offence in that completed match. A proven refusal to play may lead to an awarded match under 11.4 rather than indefinite minute penalties. C. Automatic over-rate penalty

Section 8 applies without a warning when the final-over commencement deadline is missed. Its unit is 255 seconds, not one minute. Deliberate-delay seconds penalised under regime B are excluded from its penalty accumulator, but fielding-side deliberate delay earns no extension to the deadline. Appendix E gives the consolidated matrix.

No separate ICC 60-second between-over stop clock applies in this tournament. Umpires manage ordinary over intervals through Section 8 and identified deliberate delay through regime B.

The Code of Conduct Version 1 governs conduct on and off the field. The process and indicative sanctions set out below apply as minimum safeguards for this tournament; a separately issued Code may add conduct obligations but shall not remove these safeguards or impose an unpublished fine.

Level 1 covers isolated minor dissent or unsporting conduct: warning or reprimand, up to one-match suspension. Level 2 covers repeated dissent, abusive language or significant unsporting conduct: one to three matches. Level 3 covers serious threats, prohibited physical confrontation, serious harassment/discrimination or intentional dangerous conduct: four to 12 matches, or one to six months where a time-based restriction better fits the conduct or role. Level 4 covers assault, corruption or exceptionally serious misconduct: six to 24 months, or expulsion in the most serious cases. Tournament removal or role restrictions may accompany a proportionate sanction. Explain departures and credit equivalent temporary suspension already served. Classification depends on evidence and seriousness; minor disrepute is not automatically Level 4.

No monetary fine is imposed under this edition. A fine requires a prospectively published rule identifying authority, maximum and payment terms. Run awards and match penalties are solely those expressly authorised here or by the adopted Laws; disciplinary officers cannot invent new scoring sanctions.

Give the respondent written allegations, evidence, proposed offence level and possible sanctions; a meaningful opportunity to respond; an unconflicted decision-maker; and a reasoned written decision stating the sanction, duration and appeal route. Ordinarily allow seven calendar days to respond. An expedited event hearing may shorten that period only where fair and practicable and with recorded reasons. Otherwise use proportionate temporary protective measures pending the ordinary process.

Level 1/2 cases may be decided by one unconflicted official. Level 3/4 require a three-person panel; a disputed serious case requires an oral/remote hearing unless waived. The investigator cannot decide the case. Establish violations on the balance of probabilities; non-response is not an admission. Match suspensions apply to the next specified eligible USASC matches; cancelled or abandoned matches with no play do not count, and unserved matches carry forward. Time suspensions run between specified dates; these are not automatic equivalents of match suspensions. A formal disciplinary appeal may be filed within 14 calendar days with independent appeal officials who had no role in the original case. Grounds are material procedural unfairness or conflict, a finding unsupported by the evidence, significant new evidence not reasonably available earlier, or a disproportionate sanction. An appeal decision may affirm, set aside, reduce or remit the decision; it cannot increase a sanction solely because the participant appealed. No filing fee applies. Filing does not automatically stay a sanction; an independent reviewer shall promptly consider any stay request.

Immediate protective removal may address safety or disruption but is not a finding of guilt. Give written reasons within 24 hours and independent review within 72 hours. Match-law decisions and medical removal remain immediate. Good-faith reporting, evidence and appeals are protected from retaliation. Conflicts, reporting contacts and appointing officials must be recorded under Appendix G.

Corruption, bribery, deliberate match manipulation, discrimination and harassment are prohibited. Participants must not bet on this competition or misuse confidential competition information. Report a credible corrupt approach or serious safety concern promptly to the referee or designated conduct official. Only actually issued and identified external anti-doping or other specialist policies are incorporated; a general reference does not establish an affiliation or an unpublished policy.

Umpire factual judgments are not appealable through a protest. A team may challenge a misapplication of a playing condition, score administration, eligibility or competition procedure. Notify the Match Referee as soon as the issue is known; submit a written match protest within 30 minutes of result certification, identifying evidence, the rule and requested remedy. Later-discovered eligibility evidence follows 2.4.8. Allow a recorded reasonable extension where the evidence could not reasonably have been obtained in time.

An unconflicted Committee decision-maker shall hear the affected team, give written reasons and decide before the next affected knockout fixture where practicable. The remedy must be authorised by this edition: clerical correction, correction of a proven rule application where feasible, an expressly authorised forfeit, or dismissal of the protest. There is no power to create a new qualification rule after an abandonment.

An administrative appeal must be lodged within 24 hours of receiving the decision. An independent unconflicted official or panel may affirm, correct or remit it. For an imminent fixture, the appellant may request immediate review and a stay; pending appeal does not automatically suspend the decision. Longer disciplinary appeals follow 17.7.5. Record any expedited deadline and preserve a fair opportunity to respond.

This chapter is a navigation aid. The numbered operative clauses govern if the reference is abbreviated.

Topic

Clause / appendix

Adopted Law / specific reference

Eligibility, 15-player squad, XI plus four substitutes

Tournament rules

Impact Player and 11-batter cap

2.5

Tournament rules

Ball, bat, pitch, creases and wickets

4–5

MCC Laws 4–8

Start, 15-minute interval and cutoff

6–7

Tournament rules

Final over within 85 minutes; five per 255 seconds

Tournament rules

Innings and reduced bowling quotas

9–10; Appendix B

MCC Laws 13 and 17, Tournament bowling

quotas

Targets, points, NRR and qualification

10–11

MCC Law 16; Tournament rules

Circle limits and control at wicket breakage

MCC Laws 27–29, 38 and 39

No ball and Free Hit

MCC Law 21; Tournament Free Hit provision

Wide, settled ball and overthrow classification

MCC Laws 19, 20 and 22; selected October 2026

T20 adaptations

Fielder absence, runners and concussion

MCC Laws 24–25; Tournament replacement rules

Umpire Review System

16; Appendix D

Tournament rules

Readiness, minute penalties and discipline

17; Appendix E

MCC Laws 40–42, selected T20 adaptation and

Tournament rules