Reports | BCCI confirms Impact Rule absent from Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy but set to continue in IPL
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to eliminate the impact player rule in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy going forward. This rule, which was introduced in the T20 league a few years ago, will remain in effect for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League.
Introduced to the SMAT a couple of years ago, the rule was later adopted in the IPL setup. The tournament is scheduled to commence on November 23, with the final slated for December 15.
However, the Impact Player rule will remain in effect for the 2025 IPL season, as the league continues to embrace this format. The rule allowed teams to bring in a 12th player at any point during the game, replacing one of the original XI. While this innovation received mixed feedback, it contributed to several thrilling, high-scoring matches in recent IPL seasons, including record-breaking totals exceeding 250 runs in IPL 2024, igniting excitement and debate over the game’s balance.
Additionally, the BCCI has decided to maintain the two-bouncers-per-over rule, allowing bowlers an extra short-pitched delivery per over, in contrast to the one-bouncer limit in international cricket.