The Indian Premier League (IPL) stands as the most highly anticipated and widely viewed cricket league globally. Fans eagerly await the months of March, April, and May, anticipating the live action of this thrilling short-format league from India. Within the tournament, there exist numerous rules and facts that often go unnoticed by cricket enthusiasts. Let’s delve into these lesser-known rules and facts that add depth and intrigue to the IPL.
- Super Over Rule: The Super Over is most thrilling and captivating rule in the shortest format of the game. Similar to other T20 tournaments, when scores are tied, teams engage in a Super Over where each team bats for one over. The team that was chasing bats first in the Super Over.
- Boundary Count Rule: In the event of a tied Super Over, the IPL implements the Boundary Count Rule. In such cases, the team with the most fours and sixes (boundaries) emerges victorious.
- Mankading: Mankading represents a form of dismissal wherein the bowler removes the bails at the non-striker’s end if the non-striker leaves the crease before the ball is delivered.
- Player Retention and Right to Match Cards: Each franchise retains a select number of players before the auction and also possesses the Right to Match (RTM) cards, allowing them to retain or acquire specific players at the auction price.
- Orange and Purple Caps: The IPL recognizes outstanding individual performances with the Orange Cap awarded to the leading run-scorer and the Purple Cap worn by the highest wicket-taker in the tournament.
- Strategic Timeouts: Inspired by other sports like basketball, the IPL introduced strategic timeouts lasting 2.5 minutes, providing both teams an opportunity to discuss game strategies.
- Strategic Player Acquisition: During player auctions, IPL teams strategize to strike a balance between star players and young talent within budgetary constraints. Francises have a limited amount to select the best team.
- Salary Cap and Overseas Player Limit: IPL franchises are given fixed salary cap with equal amounts to each team. They have to buys players from that purse only. They also have a restrictions on the number of overseas players permitted in the Playing XI, capped at four.
- Mid-Season Transfer Window: Teams have a transfer window open before the IPL starts, however, in 2019, the mid-season transfer window was introduced which allowed for the transfer of uncapped players or those who have played only two matches to other teams.
- Net Run Rate and Playoff Qualification: In the IPL league stage, if teams finish with equal points, the Net Run Rate (NRR) becomes crucial in determining their standings on the points table. The team with the higher NRR advances to the playoffs.
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