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New major changes in cricket law

The changes made by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) are intended to shape the game of cricket as it should be played

Mar 9, 2022, 6:38 AM5 min read

New major changes in cricket law

The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has announced the new code of Laws for 2022 on Wednesday. MCC Laws sub-committee had a meeting last week where they approved several changes for the 2022 code of law.

Earlier, the 2017 laws of cricket played a very significant role in shaping cricket and the 2022 rules are also expected to emulate the same. However, the new code of laws will come into force from October 1, 2022.

There are several notable changes in the Laws of Cricket, follow below,

Also Read: Joe Root Needs Results to Keep England Armband 

Law 1 – Replacement Players

The MCC has introduced a new clause - Law 1.3 which is regarding the replacement of players. Meanwhile, the replacements are now be treated as if they were the player they replaced on the field. They will receive the sanctions or dismissals that the player has done in that match.

Law 18 – Batters returning when Caught

The MCC made a massive change to another law as according to Law 18.11, when a batter gets caught, the player who comes to bat will start at the striker's end (unless it is the end of an over).

Earlier, if the batters crossed before the catch was taken then the new player would go to the non-strikers' end but the law has changed to reward the bowler for taking the wicket. Meanwhile, it was first trialed in "The Hundred" tournament by England and Wales Cricket Board.

Read Also: Australian Women's Team world Cup-winning moment gets framed in beautiful art at MCG

Law 20.4.2.12 – Dead ball

New major changes in cricket law | SportzPoint.com
A Dog enters the ground during a Test match
Image - The Wire

The dead-ball sometimes plays a crucial role in the match. The MCC has made several changes and modified the law. In recent times, the intruders have entered the ground on several occasions which hurt the continuity of the game. Meanwhile, sometimes it gives an advantage to either side. The new law will allow the umpire to call it a dead ball when either side is disadvantaged by a person, animal, or other objects within the field of play.

Law 21.4 – Bowler throwing towards striker's end before delivery

If a bowler throws the ball in an attempt to run out the striker before entering their delivery stride, it will now be the Dead ball. This is an extremely rare scenario, which has until now been called a No ball.

Law 22.1 – Judging a Wide

Law 22.1 has been amended to take away the unfair advantage from the batters. In modern-day cricket, the batters play a lot of innovative shots. Moreover, for that, they move around the crease before the ball is moved to create doubts in the bowler's mind. The new law suggests that a 'Wide' will apply to where the batter is standing, where the striker has stood at any point since the bowler began their run-up, and which would also have passed wide of the striker in a normal batting position.

Also Read: The highest run-getter in every season of IPL till now

Law 25.8 – Striker's right to play the ball

The new Law 25.8 will allow the batter to hit the ball if it lands away from the pitch. The batter has to keep in mind that some part of their bat or person remains within the pitch. Should they venture beyond that, the umpire will call and signal Dead ball. As a reward to the batter, any ball which would force them to leave the pitch will also be called No ball.

Laws 27.4 and 28.6 – Unfair movement by the fielding side

The MCC made another important change in the laws. If there is any unfair movement by the fielding side while the ball is bowled, the batting side will be awarded the 5 penalty runs. Earlier, it was referred to as the dead-ball and which turned into a disadvantageous for the batting side as the good shot or boundary got canceled with that dead ball.

Law 38.3 – Moving the running out of the non-striker (Mankad)

It was the law that needed some modification as several critics called it controversial. The MCC's new code of laws has moved the running out of the non-striker (Mankad) from Law 41 - Unfair Play to Law 38 - Run-out. While the wordings of the law remain the same.

Read Also: ICC World Test Championship Points Table 2021-23

Law 41.3 – No Saliva

New major changes in cricket law | SportzPoint.com
Faf Du Plessis using Saliva on the ball
Image - Fox Sports

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the MCC to ban saliva on the ball which help the bowlers to get a swing, especially with the red ball. The MCC claims that its research has found that the banning of saliva had had little or no impact on the amount of swing the bowlers were getting. In recent times, players started using their sweat to polish the ball instead of saliva. However, the MCC suggested that it was equally effective for them.

The new Laws will not permit the use of saliva on the ball, which also removes any grey areas of fielders eating sugary sweets to alter their saliva to apply to the ball. Using saliva will be treated the same way as any other unfair method of changing the condition of the ball.

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ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 Full Schedule announced; India to face Pakistan on October 5

The ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 schedule was revealed on Monday, with hosts India and Sri Lanka slated to play the opener at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on September 30.

Jun 16, 2025, 10:42 AM3 min read

ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 Full Schedule announced; India to face Pakistan on October 5

The schedule of the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 has been released. The Women's World Cup will begin on September 30 with hosts India playing their first match against Sri Lanka at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

Also Read: BCCI announce Indian women's squad for ODI and T20I series against England

The eight-team tournament will be a round-robin format with the top four teams advancing to the semi-finals. The much-awaited final will be played on November 2. Australia will begin their campaign against New Zealand on October 1 at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore.

India vs Pakistan Match details

Due to tension between India and Pakistan, Pakistan will play all its matches in Colombo, Sri Lanka under the hybrid hosting model agreed upon by BCCI and PCB. In such a situation, the teams playing with Pakistan including India will go to Colombo, which is a neutral venue.

The most awaited match of the group stage between India and Pakistan will be played on 5th October in Colombo.

Women's Cricket World Cup 2025: Venues

  • India : Bengaluru, Guwahati, Indore, Visakhapatnam 
  • Sri Lanka : Colombo

The tournament will be held at five major venues in the two countries. Bengaluru and Colombo have been shortlisted as potential hosts for the final.

Women's Cricket World Cup 2025: Full Schedule

Day/Date Match Venue Time
Tuesday, September 30 India vs Sri Lanka Bengaluru 3:00 PM
Wednesday, October 1 Australia vs New Zealand Indore 3:00 PM
Thursday, October 2 Bangladesh vs Pakistan Colombo 3:00 PM
Friday, October 3 England vs South Africa Bengaluru 3:00 PM
Saturday, October 4 Australia vs Sri Lanka Colombo 3:00 PM
Sunday, October 5 India vs Pakistan Colombo 3:00 PM
Monday, October 6 New Zealand vs South Africa Indore 3:00 PM
Tuesday, October 7 England vs Bangladesh Guwahati 3:00 PM
Wednesday, October 8 Australia vs Pakistan Colombo 3:00 PM
Thursday, October 9 India vs South Africa Vizag 3:00 PM
Friday, October 10 New Zealand vs Bangladesh Vizag 3:00 PM
Saturday, October 11 England vs Sri Lanka Guwahati 3:00 PM
Sunday, October 12 India vs Australia Vizag 3:00 PM
Monday, October 13 South Africa vs Bangladesh Vizag 3:00 PM
Tuesday, October 14 New Zealand vs Sri Lanka Colombo 3:00 PM
Wednesday, October 15 England vs Pakistan Colombo 3:00 PM
Thursday, October 16 Australia vs Bangladesh Vizag 3:00 PM
Friday, October 17 South Africa vs Sri Lanka Colombo 3:00 PM
Saturday, October 18 New Zealand vs Pakistan Colombo 3:00 PM
Sunday, October 19 India vs England Indore 3:00 PM
Monday, October 20 Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh Colombo 3:00 PM
Tuesday, October 21 South Africa vs Pakistan Colombo 3:00 PM
Wednesday, October 22 Australia vs England Indore 3:00 PM
Thursday, October 23 India vs New Zealand Guwahati 3:00 PM
Friday, October 24 Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Colombo 3:00 PM
Saturday, October 25 Australia v Sri Lanka Indore 3:00 PM
Sunday, October 26 England vs New Zealand Guwahati 3:00 PM
Sunday, October 26 India vs Bangladesh Bengaluru 3:00 PM
Wednesday, October 29 Semifinal 1 (TBA) Guwahati/Colombo 3:00 PM
Thursday, October 30 Semifinal 2 (TBA) Bengaluru 3:00 PM
Sunday, 2 November Final (TBA) Colombo/Bengaluru 3:00 PM

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Most Wickets in ICC Tournament Finals

Mitchell Starc surpassed Mohammed Shami to became the leading wicket taker in ICC finals. So, let's take a look at the bowlers with most wickets in ICC tournament finals.

Jun 12, 2025, 11:25 AM4 min read

Most Wickets in ICC Tournament Finals

Australia's star fast bowler Mitchell Starc added a big achievement to his name on Wednesday by becoming the bowler to take the most wickets in ICC tournament finals. Starc achieved this feat by taking two wickets on the first day of the World Test Championship 2025 final against South Africa at Lord's. Starc, playing his fifth ICC final, has taken 11 wickets so far and is expected to increase it.

Also Read: Highest wicket-takers in WTC 2023-25

With this, Starc also broke the record of Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami as soon as he took the second wicket. This record was earlier in the name of Shami, who had taken 10 wickets in four ICC finals.

So, let's take a look at the bowlers with most wickets in ICC tournament finals.

Most Wickets in ICC Tournament Finals

6. Glenn McGrath | 8 Wickets

Most Wickets in ICC Tournament Finals

The former legendary Australia pacer Glenn McGrath featured in a total of 5 ICC finals for the Baggy Greens and took 8 Wickets for his team. McGrath was one of Australia’s most important players for several years and he always stepped-up big time in finals of major tournaments.

McGrath was the second-highest wicket-taker in the 2002 edition of the ICC tournament with 8 wickets in 3 matches after Muttaih Muralidharan who has claimed 10 wickets in as many games.

5. Kyle Jamieson | 8 Wickets

Most Wickets in ICC Tournament Finals

New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Jamieson also took 8 Wickets in the ICC tournament finals after appearing in 3 innings. In the 2019–2021 World Test Championship Final, Jamieson was named as the man of the match, after taking seven wickets, including a five-wicket haul in the first innings.

4. Ravindra Jadeja | 8 Wickets

Most Wickets in ICC Tournament Finals

Ravindra Jadeja comes fourth on this list. Jadeja’s evolution from a utility player to a match-winner is reflected in his 8 ICC final appearances. In his 8 finals, Jadeja dismissed 8 players in ICC tournament finals.

His all-round prowess was key to India’s Champions Trophy triumph in 2013, where he was the leading wicket-taker. He has since played vital roles in T20 World Cup finals and two successive WTC finals (2021, 2023), as well as the 2025 Champions Trophy. 

3. Trent Boult | 8 Wickets

Most Wickets in ICC Tournament Finals

New Zealand's veteran pacer Trent Boult is true to the 'big-match player' tag with 8 wickets in his 4 ICC Finals. Boult played a massive role in the Kiwis' success in ICC tournaments and gave brilliant bowling performances in the finals as well.

Boult was also the joint leading wicket taker at the 2015 Cricket World Cup. In 2018, he became the third bowler for New Zealand to take a hat-trick in ODIs.

2. Mohammed Shami | 10 Wickets

Most Wickets in ICC Tournament Finals

India's star bowler Mohammed Shami now comes second in this list. In four ICC finals, Shami has taken 10 wickets at an average of 38.90, an economy rate of 3.95 and best bowling figures of 4/76 in the WTC final 2021 against New Zealand.

Shami is also the leading wicket-taker among Indian bowlers in ODI World Cups and also led all bowlers in the 2023 edition with 24 wickets in seven outings. He continued his magical run in ICC events with a five-wicket haul in his maiden Champions Trophy game (ongoing contest against Bangladesh).

Also Read: Most Runs in WTC 2023-25

1. Mitchell Starc | 11* Wickets

Most Wickets in ICC Tournament Finals

Australia's pace ace Mitchell Starc has became the highest wicket-taker in ICC tournament finals. The left-arm quick achieved the milestone during the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa at Lord's. Starc, playing in his fifth ICC final, has now taken 11 wickets across tournament deciders.

The milestone came in style as Starc struck early in South Africa's second innings, cleaning up Aiden Markram for a duck. He followed it up with the dismissal of Ryan Rickelton for 16, ending Day 1 with figures of 2/10 in a fiery spell.

He also became the joint second-highest wicket taker in ICC knockout games. He is sharing the spot with former Aussie legend Glenn McGrath and Mohammed Shami, who each have taken 22 wickets. The top spot is with former Sri Lankan great Muttiah Muralitharan, who has 23 wickets.

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11 Indian cricketers who are already inducted to the ICC Hall of Fame, as MS Dhoni joins the list

Here are the 11 Indian cricketers, including MS Dhoni, who have been inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame list.

Jun 9, 2025, 5:36 PM2 min read

11 Indian cricketers to be inducted to the ICC Hall of Fame, as MS Dhoni joins the list - sportzpoint.com

Till now, 11 Indian cricketers have been inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame. Former Indian captain and legend MS Dhoni became the latest Indian to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame list. 

Read Also | India's 2011 World Cup winning squad: Where are they now?

Along with MS Dhoni, Aussie great Matthew Hayden, South African legend Hashim Amla, former South African captain Graeme Smith, former Kiwi leader Daniel Vettori, and former Pakistan captain Sana Mir and English legend Sarah Taylor were also inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame 2025.

Here are the Indian cricketers who have been inducted into the prestigious "ICC Hall of Fame". 

Indian Cricketers in the ICC Hall of Fame

Name Brief Achievement Year
Sunil Gavaskar First to score 10,000 Test runs, 34 centuries 2009
Bishan Singh Bedi One of the greatest Indian spinners, 266 Test wickets in 67 matches 2009
Kapil Dev Led 1983 World Cup win, 434 Test wickets, 5,248 runs 2010
Anil Kumble 619 Test wickets, took 10 wickets in an innings 2015
Rahul Dravid 13,288 Test runs, known as “The Wall” 2018
Sachin Tendulkar 100 international centuries, 15,921 Test runs 2019
Vinoo Mankad First Indian to score 1000 Test runs and get 100 wickets 2021
Diana Edulji First Indian woman to get inducted, 100+ wickets in Tests/ODIs 2023
Virender Sehwag 8,586 Test runs, two triple centuries, 2011 WC winner 2023
Neetu David 141 ODI wickets, best women’s Test figures (8/53) 2024
MS Dhoni Led 2007 T20 WC, 2011 ODI WC; 10,773 ODI runs 2025

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India's ODI schedule till World Cup 2027

Know what is the ODI schedule of Indian Cricket Team till ODI World Cup 2027 and when India will face which team.

May 14, 2025, 9:44 AM3 min read

India's ODI schedule till World Cup 2027

After the Champions Trophy 2025, India's target in ODI cricket will be the ODI World Cup 2027. In such a situation, know what is Team India's ODI schedule till the World Cup 2027. The Men in Blue have to play a total of 9 series in the next ICC ODI tournament, which includes 27 matches.

Apart from this, some more ODI matches can be scheduled near the tournament. So, know what is the ODI schedule of Indian Cricket Team till 2027 and when India will face which team.

Also Read: The Kohli Effect: Will Indian fans lose interest in Test cricket after Virat Kohli's retirement?

The ODI World Cup2027 will be held around October to December. Before this, the Indian team is going to play a lot of matches. India have to play 3-match ODI series against 8 teams. They will play series twice against one country.

India will play New Zealand twice

India will play Australia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, England, South Africa, West Indies and Sri Lanka once each in the upcoming ODI series, while it will play New Zealand twice. Out of the nine series, India will play six series at home, while the rest will be held outside the country.

It will start with the tour of Bangladesh in August, which will be played this year. In October-November 2025, India has to play a three-match ODI series on its tour of Australia. South Africa's team will tour India in November-December.

India will host Sri Lankan team in December 2026

In January 2026, the New Zealand team will play an ODI series in India. After this, India has to play a three-match series against Afghanistan in June. In July 2026, Team India will have to play the same number of ODI series on its tour of England.

The West Indies team is scheduled to tour India in September-October. There will be an ODI series against New Zealand at home in October-November. India will host the Sri Lankan team for an ODI series in December 2026.

Also Read: Fav four in Test cricket: Kohli vs Root vs Williamson vs Smith stats in Tests

India's ODI schedule till World Cup 2027

Month/Year Opponent Venue No. of ODIs
August 2025 Bangladesh Away 3
Oct-Nov 2025 Australia Away 3
Nov-Dec 2025 South Africa Home 3
January 2026 New Zealand Home 3
June 2026 Afghanistan Home 3
July 2026 England Away 3
Sep-Oct 2026 West Indies Home 3
Oct-Nov 2026 New Zealand Home 3
December 2026 Sri Lanka Home 3

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Fav four in cricket: Kohli vs Root vs Williamson vs Smith overall stats

In this article, we will examine and compare the statistics of the Fab Four across all formats.

May 10, 2025, 11:33 AM4 min read

Fav four in cricket: Kohli vs Root vs Williamson vs Smith overall stats | sportzpoint.com

If anyone has followed cricket casually over the last decade, they're likely familiar with four key names: former Indian captain Virat Kohli, batting genius Steve Smith, English great Joe Root, and New Zealand's all-time leading run-scorer Kane Williamson.

They together are known as the 'Fab Four' in the modern era of cricket.

Each of them has set new benchmarks for performance, continually pushing one another to enhance their skills. These four batsmen have not only dominated the world of cricket but have also met the expectations of their respective nations.

In this article, we will examine the statistics of the Fab Four across all formats.

Fav Four in cricket: How many runs & centuries have they scored in International Cricket?

Fav four in cricket: Kohli vs Root vs Williamson vs Smith overall stats | sportzpoint.com

Virat Kohli has been the most prolific all-format batter among the fav-four. Kohli, till now in his 550 international games, has scored 27,599 runs with an outstanding average of 52.27. His record of 82 international centuries is only second to Sachin Tendulkar's 100 international centuries.

Read Also | Most ICC Trophies by any men's team

Joe Root comes in second among them with 20,724 runs so far for England across formats. However, undoubtedly, he has been the best test batter of his generation with 12972 test runs, which sets him as the highest test run scorer for England. Root has also scored 53 international hundreds, of which 36 came in tests only.

Read Also | Winners list of last 10 ICC Tournaments (men's)

Kane Williamson, New Zealand's highest runscorer in international cricket, comes at number three in terms of international runs among the fav four. The former Kiwi leader has scored 19,086 runs so far in his career at an average of 48.56. Kane is now only two short of reaching 50 international hundreds. 

Read Also | Most Test runs in 2024: Root, Jaiswal, Duckett and more

Aussie great Steven Smith comes at four with 17,165 runs at an average of 47.81. A late bloomer with the bat, Smith has been outstanding for Australia in tests and ODIs. Along with Root, Smith has also been one of the greatest test batters of this generation.

Here is a comparison of international stats of the fav four. 

Player Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave SR 100s 50s Ct
Virat Kohli 550 617 89 27,599 254* 52.27 79.18 82 143 336
Joe Root 361 474 51 20,724 262 48.97 66.51 53 111 311
Kane Williamson 371 441 48 19,086 251 48.56 66.12 48 102 209
Steve Smith 353 415 56 17,165 239 47.81 64.26 48 81 331

Read Also: Most Wickets in Test Cricket

Fab Four in Cricket: Stats across different formats

Virat Kohli (IND)

Fab Four in Cricket: Stats across different formats

Format Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave SR 100s 50s Ct
Tests 123 210 13 9,230 254* 46.85 55.57 30 31 121
ODIs 302 290 45 14,181 183 57.88 93.34 51 74 161
T20Is 125 117 31 4,188 122* 48.69 137.04 1 38 54

Joe Root (ENG)

Fav four in cricket: Kohli vs Root vs Williamson vs Smith overall stats

Format Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave SR 100s 50s Ct
Tests 152 278 23 12,972 262 50.87 57.47 36 65 207
ODIs 177 166 23 6,859 133* 47.96 87.03 17 41 86
T20Is 32 30 5 893 90* 35.72 126.30 0 5 18

Kane Williamson (NZ)

Fav four in cricket: Kohli vs Root vs Williamson vs Smith overall stats | sportzpoint.com

Format Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave SR 100s 50s Ct
Tests 105 186 17 9,276 251 54.88 51.78 33 37 90
ODIs 173 165 18 7,235 148 49.21 81.72 15 47 74
T20Is 93 90 13 2,575 95 33.44 123.08 0 18 45

Steven Smith (AUS)

Fav four in cricket: Kohli vs Root vs Williamson vs Smith overall stats | sportzpoint.com

Format Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave SR 100s 50s Ct
Tests 116 206 25 10,271 239 56.74 53.56 36 41 200
ODIs 170 154 20 5,800 164 43.28 86.96 12 35 90
T20Is 67 55 11 1,094 90 24.86 125.45 0 5 41

Note: The article was initially written by Abishek Goswami and then got updated by Koushik Biswas

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