ICC revises playing conditions from October 1

The International Cricket Council has announced revised playing conditions for international cricket, including escalating penalties for men’s batters who are not ready to face a delivery on time and a trial allowing teams to use a pink ball in daytime Tests. The changes apply to international series beginning on or after October 1, 2026; series already underway will continue under the previous rules, the ICC said. Under the revised men’s conditions, a batter who is late to face the next delivery receives a warning for a first offence and a final warning for a second. Each subsequent offence brings five penalty runs for the fielding side, and repeated violations may also lead to Code of Conduct charges. The rule is intended to address delays between deliveries. For daytime Tests, teams may agree before a match to use a pink ball to reduce interruptions caused by poor light. If they choose that option, it must remain in place for the whole match and cannot be changed after play starts. The ICC’s announcement describes this as a trial. The revised conditions also clarify several fielding decisions.