India vs USA: Why USA was given ‘penalty’ at the T20 WC qualifier | Explained

The penalty was introduced by the ICC to “speed up play” as per an AFP report; USA’s coach Stuart Law insisted it “did not affect the outcome of the game”.

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What is the ‘stop-clock’ penalty?

A team is hit with the ‘stop-clock’ penalty if they take more than a minute between overs, even after receiving two warnings. The rule was introduced by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in an effort to speed up play, AFP added.

On June 12, the USA was penalised at the start of the 16th over. This means that India’s run chase was reduced to needing 30 runs off 30 deliveries to reach their 111-run target instead of 35 off 30 balls.

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Coach Law however felt that the five-run penalty did not much impact the outcome of the Group A match.

Not Much of Impact?

“We had a few warnings in earlier games, and it’s something we do talk about to get through faster between the overs,” Law told AFP.

Had added that the rule was new and unfamiliar and that Team USA itself is “only a fledgling” still finding its footing in the sport.

“We’re only a fledgling team. There’s plenty to learn. There’s not just the cricket aspect of the game of cricket, but there’s also the other intricacies that need to be embedded. It’s a rule that’s only just come in. A lot of our players wouldn’t have heard about it before we played in the Bangladesh series or the Canada series earlier this year,” he added.

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‘Need pace of play’, says US Coach Law

India defeated the US by 7 wickets to enter the Super 8 round of the T20 World Cup 2024. Chasing 110 runs at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York, the cricketing giant won with a comfortable 10 balls to spare.

“Five runs wasn’t going to affect the outcome of the game. The players know the rule, but it’s something that if you haven’t played with it for a long time, it’s very difficult to have it embedded in your brain,” Law told reporters, adding that he does not object to the new rule if it helps cap playing time.

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“There needs to be a pace of play. I think if you’re dragging games out that should last three and a half hours, they’re going for four and a half hours, that’s a bit much. I don’t see it as a bad thing. I see it as a good thing. The game continues to move. When momentum is with you, you want to keep that momentum running quicker and put the opposition under pressure that way,” he added.

Notably, due to its points, this defeat does not disqualify the USA from the second round. It will go through a win or even a no-result in their final group game against Ireland on June 14.

(With inputs from AFP)

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Published: 13 Jun 2024, 06:44 AM IST