T20 World Cup: Format, points system, reserve days, super over, COVID rules

The ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2022 will be played in Australia from October 16 to November 13. It will be contested by 16 teams.

Here is all you need to know about the T20 World Cup 2022 format, groups, points system, reserve days, super overs, COVID-19 rules and more.

Also read: T20 World Cup: How the 16 teams qualified for tournament in Australia

The following rules are as per the ICC’s T20 World Cup ‘Playing Conditions’.

The T20 World Cup 2022 will be contested by the following sixteen (16) teams who have been ‘seeded’ as follows:

1. England

2. India

3. Pakistan

4. New Zealand

5. South Africa

6. Australia

7. Afghanistan

8. Bangladesh

9. Sri Lanka

10. West Indies

11. Scotland

12. Namibia

13. Zimbabwe

14. UAE

15. Netherlands

16. Ireland

Also read: T20 World Cup: Schedule, squads, groups, live TV, streaming, audio

First Round

The First Round of the competition comprises of the following eight (8) teams which have been ‘seeded’ and divided into two Groups of four (4) teams each:

Group A

• Sri Lanka (9)
• Namibia (12)
• UAE (14)
• The Netherlands (15)

Group B

• West Indies (10)
• Scotland (11)
• Zimbabwe (13)
• Ireland (16)

Each team will play every other team in its Group. At the completion of the First Round, the top two teams in each Group shall progress to the Super 12s stage of the competition.

The winner of Group A and the runner-up of Group B shall be placed in Group 1 of the Super 12s.

The winner of Group B and the runner-up of Group A shall be placed in Group 2 of the Super 12s.

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Super 12s

The Super 12s stage of the competition comprises of the following twelve (12) teams which have been ‘seeded’ and divided into two Groups of six (6) teams each:

Group 1

• England (1)
• New Zealand (4)
• Australia (6)
• Afghanistan (7)
• Qualifier A1 (9)
• Qualifier B2 (12)

Group 2

• India (2)
• Pakistan (3)
• South Africa (5)
• Bangladesh (8)
• Qualifier B1 (10)
• Qualifier A2 (11)

Each team will play every other team in its Group. At the completion of the Super 12s stage, the top two teams in each Group will progress to the semi-finals.

The team placed first in Group 1 will play the team placed second in Group 2 in Semi-Final 1 in Sydney.

The team placed first in Group 2 will play the team placed second in Group 1 in Semi-Final 2 in Adelaide.

Note: If host country Australia qualify for the semi-finals, they will play in Semi-Final 1 which is being played in Sydney on November 9.

The winners of the semi-finals will contest the final.

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Points system

Win: 2

Tie, no result or abandoned: 1

Loss or forfeit: 0

First Round

In the event of teams finishing on equal points in their Group, the right to progress to the Super 12s stage of the competition will be decided in the following order of priority:

a) The team with the greatest number of wins in its Group will be placed in the higher position.

b) If there are teams with equal points and equal wins in the Group stage, then in such case the team with the higher net run rate in the Group stage will be placed in the higher position.

c) If two or more teams are still equal, they will be ordered according to the head to head match played between them (points then net run rate in those matches)

d) If the above does not resolve the Group ordering, or if all matches within a Group produce no results, then the teams will be ordered as per their original First Round Group seedings.

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Super 12s

In the event of teams finishing on equal points in their Group, the right to progress to the semi-finals will be decided in the following order of priority:

a) The team with the greatest number of wins in its Group will be placed in the higher position.

b) If there are teams with equal points and equal wins in its Group, then in such case the team with the higher net run rate in its Group will be placed in the higher position.

c) If two or more teams are still equal, they will be ordered according to the head-to-head match played between them (points then net run rate in those matches).

d) If the above does not resolve the Group ordering, or if all matches within a Group produce no results, then the teams will be ordered as per their original Super 12s Group seedings.

Semi-finals

If a Semi-final is tied, the teams shall compete in a Super Over to determine which team progresses to the Final.

If following a tie, weather conditions prevent the Super Over from being completed, or if the match is abandoned or a no result, then the team that finished first in its Super 12s Group will progress to the Final.

If a Semi-final is tied, the teams shall compete in a Super Over to determine which team progresses to the Final.

If following a tie, weather conditions prevent the Super Over from being completed, or if the match is abandoned or a no result, then the team that finished first in its Super 12s Group will progress to the final.

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Final

In the event of a tied final, the teams shall compete in a Super Over to determine which team is the winner.

If following a tie, weather conditions prevent the Super Over from being completed, or if the match is abandoned or a no result, the teams shall be declared joint winners.

In the event of a tied final, the teams shall compete in a Super Over to determine which team is the winner.

If following a tie, weather conditions prevent the Super Over from being completed, or if the match is abandoned or a no result, the teams shall be declared joint winners.

Net Run Rate

A team’s net run rate is calculated by deducting from the average runs per over scored by that team throughout the competition, the average runs per over scored against that team throughout the competition.

In the event of a team being all out in less than its full quota of overs, the calculation of its net run rate shall be based on the full quota of overs to which it would have been entitled and not on the number of overs in which the team was dismissed.

Note: The Super Over is not included in the net run rate calculation.

Reserve days

The semi-finals and final shall have a reserve day allocated on which an incomplete match shall be continued from the scheduled day. No other matches shall have a reserve day allocated.

If the reserve day is allocated, every effort will be made to complete the match on the scheduled day with any necessary reduction in overs taking place and only if the minimum number of overs necessary to constitute a match cannot be bowled on the scheduled day will the match be completed on the reserve day.

If the match has started on the scheduled day and overs are subsequently reduced following an interruption, but no further play is possible, the match will resume on the reserve day at the point where the last ball was played.

Extra time

There shall be 30 minutes of extra time allocated to all matches throughout the competition including the semi-finals and the final. However, if the reserve day is used for a semi-final or the final, there shall be 2 hours of extra time allocated to the hours of play for the reserve day.

In circumstances where back-to-back matches are played at the same venue, there shall be a minimum 30-minute break between matches.

For clarity, the changeover period (5 minutes) for a Super Over after the main match is not to be taken into account when applying any permitted extra time available.

Super Over

If the match is tied a Super Over is played. If the Super Over is a tie, then subsequent Super Overs shall be played until there is a winner. Unless exceptional circumstances arise, there shall be an unlimited number of Super Overs played to achieve a result.

Super Over unable to be completed

Where the Super Over or subsequent Super Overs are abandoned for any reason prior to completion then the match shall be declared a tie and points allocated as in clause.

In circumstances where there are unavoidable time constraints (for example, a requirement to switch off floodlights at a certain time) which do not allow the completion of multiple Super Overs, the ICC Match Referee may limit the number of possible Super Overs and shall advise both captains accordingly prior to the start of the first Super Over.

COVID-19 interruptions

If a match is unable to be played as scheduled or is abandoned on the day of the match because of Covid-19, or if a team is unable to field 11 participating players, the Event Technical Committee will convene with the objective of finding a way for a new match (including a new nomination of teams and toss) to be played.

Such a match may be played at the same venue, or be moved to another venue, to be played on the same date at the discretion of the Event Technical Committee. The rescheduled match shall be played, if possible, subject to it being scheduled within reason and without unreasonably impacting on the participating teams or on the staging of other matches.