When it comes to bringing new innovations to playing conditions, Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL) always remains ahead of other T20 leagues. The league has introduced many changes season after season, be it LED stumps to the bat flip.
But what’s more interesting is the ‘Power Surge’ rule implemented in the BBL matches. So what’s the rule like? And how does it work?
In this article, we’ll look at the Power Surge used in the BBL.
Power Surge Rule in the BBL
The BBL introduced the Power Surge rule in the 2020-21 season. And it has been quite popular among fans.
As you know, a T20 match has a mandatory powerplay at the start of each innings. And the powerplay occupies the first six overs, be it in international or domestic matches.
But the BBL came up with an alteration. Rather than having a six-over powerplay in one go, they split it into two blocks.
So the mandatory powerplay will last for the first four overs, while the remaining two powerplay overs will come into effect in the second half of the innings.
Trent Woodhill is the man behind introducing the Power Surge along with X-Factor and Bash Boost rules. While the other two rules aren’t part of the playing conditions anymore, the Power Surge seems to have been a hit.
So how does the Power Surge rule work?
See, the rule is quite simple. A full BBL innings starts with the four-over powerplay at the start, with the regular T20 fielding restrictions in place.
The league hasn’t changed the fielding rules, with only two fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle. Once 10 overs of the innings are done, the two-over Power Surge becomes available for the batting side.
Now it’s up to the batting side when to use the Power Surge. They may use it right after 10 overs or wait till the death overs kick in. And when they opt for the Power Surge, the fielding restrictions will come into place.
So the fielding side will be able to have only two fielders outside the circle, while the remaining ones need to be inside. It’s more like an extended version of the powerplay, which has added a dynamic twist to the game.
The rule now allows the middle-order batters to free up their arm and have a go at the ball. They have been finding the boundary ropes more easily, which wasn’t the case in normal play with five fielders in the deep.
The Power Surge, though, maybe a bit taxing on the bowling side, with the conditions more or less in the batting team’s favour. But this has prompted the fielding captain and the bowlers to come up with tactics almost at the last moment.
You will also see the Power Surge rule in action during the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) matches.
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