by: Atif Amin Sports reporter TN media News.
100 ball cricket is the newest form of cricket designed to attract new audiences with new and exciting rules. It was originally an idea which was proposed by English Cricket Board (ECB). The 100-ball game has two teams each having a single inning, which is restricted to a maximum of 100 balls, and the match lasts approximately two and a half hours, somewhat shorter than the existing Twenty20 format.
The first professional 100-ball competition was planned to be held in July 2021 in England. Inspired by the idea and considering the conditions in Saudi Arabia, the Riyadh Cricket Association (RCA) executive committee under the guidance of CEO Mr. Muhammad Nadeem Babar planned to organize its own 100-ball competition in March, April and May 2022. RCA was established in 1980 and is also among the pioneers of cricket in Saudi Arabia. RCA is affiliated with the Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation (SACF) now.
100 Ball Format:
100-ball cricket is a form of limited-overs cricket, played by two teams each playing a single innings made up of 100 balls.
The format of the game is:
- 100 balls per innings
- 16 overs per innings in which 15 overs are 6 balls over and 1 ten-ball over
- The First 5 over constitute a power play in which only 2 players are allowed outside the 30-yard circle.
- The 10-ball over can be bowled anytime during the innings and the umpire should be informed over earlier about it.
- Only one bowler can bowl a maximum of 24 deliveries.
- The ten-ball over can be bowled by a bowler who has bowled 2 or less overs
Reactions:
The new format was a huge success and players and supporters really appreciated this idea as it is both short and innovative. Mr. Nadeem Babar CEO of RCA was highly optimistic that this new idea will attract a completely new audience. It will also encourage smart thinking as captains and players will need to think fast and will have to make quick decisions. Senior vice president Mr. Nasir Abbasi said you’re stepping into the unknown tactically and that brings a lot of fun and excitement. Joint Secretary Ishfaq Bhatt said it’s another format that cricket needs as it is both short and exciting.
In total 62 teams participated in the first-ever organized T-100 ball cricket championship by RCA which were distributed in 4 different leagues. In total 170 matches were played.
