The much-awaited Indian Premier League is set to take place from March 31 and has come up with a new rule. BCCI has introduced the ‘Impact Player’ rule in IPL 2023 after they tried it in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament in October. It means every team on a given day can play 12 players.
11 players on each side have been the standard rule of cricket but an extra player can set on the field as an ‘Impact Player’. This is for the very first time that IPL will see this rule as Australia-based Big Bash League has already introduced it.
As per the rule, each franchise can rope in an ‘Impact Player’ into the playing team, be it while batting or bowling. All the skippers will be allowed to appoint four substitute players while submitting the team sheets, from which they can be asked to come on the field later.
As an impact player, one can do everything such as batting, bowling, and fielding. However, only the Indian player can be the impact player except if the franchise has lesser than four foreign players in the Playing XI. An impact player can be introduced in the game before the start of the innings, or after the completion of an over. If the team is batting, an impact player can step on the field when a wicket goes down or if a batter wants to retire anytime during the over.
"With the ever-growing popularity of T20 cricket, it is imperative that we look at introducing new dimensions which will make this format more attractive and interesting not only for our viewers but also the participating teams from a strategic viewpoint," the BCCI, in its note to state units had said before the Mushtaq Ali Trophy.