IPL needs urgency as over-rate delays stretch matches beyond schedule

Bengaluru: No cricket tournament has grabbed as much attention as the Indian Premier League since its inception back in 2008. The event has turned into a commercial giant and the matches have grown from 59 games with eight teams to 74 between 10. 

The crowd-pulling and the coffer-filling T20 league may be fast-paced in nature but in essence has had to answer questions regarding its slow over-rates and matches running well beyond the stipulated time of three hours and 20 minutes for a while now.  

"It is becoming an issue, surely," a former BCCI umpire told DH on condition of anonymity. 

"Every ball has become crucial these days. The number of runs being scored in the final stages of each innings and the time taken by captains to adjust their fields almost every ball has not helped the cause," he adds. 

The playing conditions of the IPL suggest that an innings (20 overs) should be completed within 90 minutes at 4.25 minutes per over, including the two 2.5-minute strategic time-outs.  

For instance, match No. 20 this season between the Mumbai Indians and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Wankhede Stadium on April 12 stretched to four hours and 21 minutes. The game, which got underway at 7:30 pm, ended at 11:51 pm. 

That’s a whopping 81 minutes more than the 200 minutes that a game should be wrapped up.   

While the captains have been fined and also penalised with match bans in the past, they seem to have had little impact. 

"Rs 12 lakh, Rs 24 lakh, where is the limit? Even if they are a ball short, they are asked to pay the fine. And if it happens again with the same team, it is doubled the next time," the former IPL official added.

"But the franchises want results and they are willing to pay these fines. Until the franchises also see the bigger picture, not much will change. But then, money is involved. So there is only so much umpires can do."

The IPL abandoned the one-match suspension rule for captains following three over-rate offences in a season and brought in field restrictions, where a fielder is called inside the 30-yard circle if the team is behind schedule. 

The governing council also has introduced demerit points system. For example, a fine of 25% of the match fee will fetch one demerit point. 

“India is a superstar culture country and money does play a part. Broadcasters want more interruptions as well. Because they get money as they get to insert more ads. Players, franchises, administration, umpires, everybody should work in a tandem. It should be a collective effort," another BCCI umpire said. 

Marylebone Cricket Club's Fraser Stewart, who was at the MI-RCB fixture, was not very pleased with the pace of the game and urged umpires were soft on the players with no sense of urgency. 

In the aforementioned game between MI and RCB, Bengaluru's Rasikh Dar called for on-field treatment three times in an over even as umpires stood watching instead of asking the bowler leave the field.  

"I feel it is about opinions. There is only so much umpires can do. What normally happens is that the third umpire, along with the match referees, would be noting down every stoppage time and if they feel the slightest of delays, they guide the on-field umpires to get on with the game."

While the IPL certainly needs some urgency injected into its games, one of the umpires also came up with a suggestion to improve the over-rates.

"The captains, just because the teams have one-two reviews left, call for reviews in the last two overs for wides and height no-balls even if they know it's not required. That adds up to the delay. So while accuracy remains the goal, the teams also need to seek urgency."