THE PREAMBLE OF CRICKET: THE SPIRIT OF GAME

"CRICKET "- A name that needs no introduction, self-defined, self-esteemed and played all over the world with an attachment of emotions, dignified with the sportsmanship spirit of the players and crowned with millions of cheers of fans, followers and Cricket-lovers. We as players understand its significance and holiness, worship it as God, it certainly is blood for us which runs through our veins. No matter what, we salute the Legends of our Game, and try to walk on the paths of ice and fire as and when required.

Gentlemen's Champions Trophy: The 1st Season: 16th February to & 17th May,2020

About the tournament:

The tournament will be of 12 overs per innings of every league match. 15 overs per innings for Quarter Finals and Semi Finals & 20 overs per innings for the Grand Final.
Round 1: League Matches: 13 teams will kick off the tournament, wherein 2 groups will be formed, wherein one group will consist of 6 teams and the other 7. The matches will be played between the teams of each group.
Round 2: Quarter-Finals: The top 4 teams from each group on the basis of points scored and run rates accomplished will be playing their designated matches. A1 vs B4; A3 vs B2; A4 vs B1 & A2 vs B3.
Round 3: The Semi - Finals: Winners of the 1st 2 matches of Quarter Finals will play with each other and winners of the last 2 matches of Quarter Finals will play with each other.
Round 4: The Grand Final:The Winners of both the Semi-Finals will then compete in the Final to become the Champion of the tournament.
Powerplay: 3, 4 & 6 overs powerplay, where in, maximum 2 fielders will be allowed to field outside the inner circle for league matches, Quarter Finals/Semi-finals & Final respectively.
All the matches will start as per the prescribed time. Any team failing to reach the ground at the pre-defined time, to will face deduction of overs during their batting tenure.
No Leg Before Wickets (LBW) & No Leg Byes.
No Bye-Runner is allowed at any circumstances.
Super Over is applicable for all matches.
Chucking is strictly prohibited for all the players participating in the tournament.

Points and Tie-Breakers:

Winner of every match will be awarded 2 points.
In case of Tie, Super Over will come into the picture, where in, each team in question has to designate 3 batsmen and 1 Bowler to continue the proceedings of Super Over.
After Super Over, if the result is still a tie, the concept of Super Over will be repeated, till the result gets clear as in, one winner and the other a loser.

Responsibility of Captains:

It will be the captain who has to lead from the front ensuring his team's participation in maintaining the honour and decorum of the game in every situation, whatsoever. The spirit of the game is more important.

Players Conduct:

In every situation, every player has to maintain his cool and adhere to the laws of cricket. Any player found tampering with the rules or practicing any unfair means during the course of the game, will be strictly taken into action by the Umpires. Decisions taken at such circumstances must be taken seriously and dealt as per the rules.

Fair and Unfair Play:

The umpires are primely responsible to make the voyage of the game completely fair. Captains and team players should also extend their contribution in maintaining the fairness of the game in every situation. They are the tone-setters to showcase the fair Play.

Basic Laws of Cricket:

The umpire will call a no ball if:

• The heel of the bowler's front foot lands on or in front of the popping crease (the front line of the batting crease). However, the front foot can be raised over the line as long as the heel does not go beyond the popping crease.

• The bowler's back foot is touching or outside the return crease.

• A full toss - a ball which does not bounce - from a seam bowler reaches the batsman at waist height. However, a waist-high full toss is permissable from a slower bowler, as long as it does not go above the batsman's shoulder. If it does, then the umpire will call a no-ball.

• The bowler does not notify the umpire of a change in their mode of delivery. So if a player says they are a right-arm bowler to the umpire and then bowls left-arm, the umpire will call a no ball.

• The umpire believes the bowler is throwing the ball.

• The bowler throws the ball to the striker's end before entering their delivery stride.

• If the ball bounces more than twice before it reaches the batsman, or rolls along the ground towards him.

• The ball stops in front of the batsman without having touched the bat.

• If the wicketkeeper encroaches beyond the stumps before the ball has been struck by the batsman or has passed the stumps.

• The umpire deems the bowler to be bowling dangerously and unfairly.

Wide ball:

A wide ball will be called when the batsman, playing a normal stroke, is unable to reach the ball. This can apply to a bouncer above head height.However a ball cannot be called wide if:

- It is out of the batsman's reach as a result of him moving away from it.

- The batsman can bring the ball within reach by playing a conventional stroke.

- The ball touches the batsman's bat or any part of his body.

The umpire will signal a wide ball by raising both arms at shoulder height and the bowler must bowl another legitimate delivery.

For every wide ball the fielding team is penalised one run.

This run, along with any other runs gained as a result of the wide ball, is added to the batting team's tally of extras and does count against the bowler's individual figures.

Umpires' interpretation of what constitutes a wide ball is much stricter in limited-overs cricket than in first-class cricket, particularly with deliveries down the leg side.

A batsman can be stumped off a wide.

Participating Teams/ Group Wise distribution on the basis of lottery:

Group A

1. Aabsys

2. Muvi

3. Spartans

4. Wipro

5. Tech Mahindra

6. ThunderWolves

Group B

1. Polo Sports

2. Titans

3. Quest Global

4. OTechnos

5. WET

6. ESSPL

7. Game Swingers

Mandatory Rules and Regulations:

1. Chucking:

Chucking is strictly prohibited. It will be the umpires' call and the playing teams have to agree to that. No questions shall be raised in such manner. No warning shall be given to the bowler in case of chucking and the umpire has the full authority to declare it as No Ball. No questions will be asked to the umpire regarding his decision.

If both the teams playing the match have round arm bowlers in their squad, it is mandatory for the teams to adhere strictly to the round arm bowling action.

However, if there is a team which doesn't have round arm bowlers and is willing to play the tournament, in such scenarios, 3 round arm bowlers(mandatory) and 2 bowlers with a little bit of action of chucking is allowed, provided those 2 bowlers should bowl with a limited pace and should have a chucking action with hand coming over the head, and not sideways.

It will be the umpire , who will decide the fairness of the game.

2. Round Arm Bowling Rules:

The ball must be bowled (not thrown or jerked), and be delivered underhand, with the hand below the elbow, but if the ball be jerked, or the arm extended from the body horizontally, and any part of the hand be uppermost, or the hand horizontally extended when the ball is delivered, the Umpires shall call, "No Ball"

3. Backing Out from tournament:

Backing out from the tournament is strictly prohibited. It is against the spirit of Game. Any team backing out from the tournament will first pay the decided fine amount. Hence, the entry fee will be taken from each team along with the fine amount and upon the completion of the tournament, the respective deposited pre-fine amounts will be returned to each team.

Secondly, If any team has to back out the tournament due to an emergency or any other reasons, the next eligible team of that group will directly fulfill the empty place, on the basis of points scored and run rate. There is no question of a deciding match, unless the points scored and run rate remains equal.

Thirdly, any team which has backed out in the middle of the tournament will not be allowed to re-enter the tournament at any cost, rather the team has to wait for the next tournament to compete.

4. Decisive Panel:

Decisive Panel will consist of 4 members who will be given abundant authority to take decisions. The decisive Panel will listen to the plight of any uncertainties happening in the tournament and will take the decision. It will be the decision of the panel whether it wants to take the opinion of rest of the teams not involved in such cases. Moreover, the panel's decision will not be questioned and has to be respected whatsoever.

If the decisive panel has conflicts in the interests, voting will come into the picture. The voting will be done within the decisive panel members and the decision which will get majority of votes will be considered. No more questions, no unnecessary meetings will be entertained. Any team opposing the decision of decisive panel will be considered not worthy of the tournament and the next eligible team will replace the position on the basis of points scored and run rate accomplished.

5. Speaking to the umpire:

Any player from the fielding team and the batsmen playing on the creeze has the full authority to speak to the umpire at any point of the game. If the batsmen or the members of the fielding team gets louder and as a result which will be audible to the rest of the players present, will not be considered indescent. Anyone opposing this, will be judged by decisive panel and the player (s) has/have to obey the decision.

6. More than 20 member squad not allowed:

At the commencement of the tournament, every team has to publish the list of minimum 15 players extending upto maximum 20 players, considered to be playing in the tournament for their respective teams along with their clear photo in the application. Any entry apart from 20 members will not be entertained at any point of tournament.

Any team which is Playing with us for the 1st time, will have to produce the required documents as a proof, if all the players are corporate employees, to the decisive panel. If the decisive panel gives a nod, the particular player will be allowed to play.

Any new face who is being included in any known teams has to produce the required documents to the decisive panel, as well.

If any team has only 10 players available on the day of the match, it will be the team's call, if they are willing to play with 10 members. If not, 2 points will be granted to the opponent team. Teams with less than 10 players will not be allowed to play and as a result, 2 points will be granted to the opponent team.

7. Late Commers and Over deduction:

Any team coming late to the ground will not be tolerated at all. Although, if the opponent team agrees, and if there is no disturbance in scheduling the next match, the match can go on smoothly. However, the opponent team has the right to deduct the overs as per the following rule. If both the teams are coming late to the ground creating hindrance in the schedule, the umpires will be following the rule as follows.

a) 2 overs deduction upon 15 minutes delay.

b) 5 overs deduction upon 30 minutes delay.

c) Walkover to the opponent team if more than 30 minutes.

d) For both teams coming late: Match will not be played and no points will be granted to any of the teams. However, that match will be considered "completed" and there will be no scope of rescheduling.

8. Meetings or gatherings:

Not more than 2 representatives from a single team are allowed to participate in any official meetings in the tenure of the tournament. Any misbehaviour during the meeting or personal issues among the teams will not be tolerated and decisive panel has the full right to take strict action against them. If the judgment of the decisive panel is not exercised, the particular team in question will be considered to be disqualified.

The meetings will only be called either by the decisive panel(in case of conflicts/taking decisions)or by the organizer ( for supporting the game procedures). Any meeting called by any other teams/personnel will not be permitted,as a result, decisions taken at such non-permissible meetings will not be approved at any point of the tournament.

9(a)Umpiring

As it might not be feasible to get the umpires from outside with the funds collected, umpiring will be a responsibility of every team Playing the tournament. Each team has to produce 2 volunteers at the start of the tournament for umpiring. For instance, if there are 2 matches scheduled on a particular day, the members from the 2nd match will have to be present for umpiring for the 1st match and similarly, the members from the 1st match will have to be present for umpiring for the 2nd match.

9(b)Umpires' decision:

We are human beings and we do commit mistakes. In a situation, where in the umpire gives a decision, and then he consults with the other umpire, he has the full authority to reverse/change his decision keeping in mind the fairness of the game. The umpire has the authority to change his decision only once for a particular delivery. We don't have a camera facility, hence this point must be adjudged and accepted by the teams playing in the tournament.

The umpire must not be condemned for his decision at any point of the game. Any team doing this will have to face the decisive panel's decision.

10. Match Abandonment:

Any match which has already started cannot be abandoned at any point of the game. It is against the spirit of the game. Concerns raised during the tenure of the match should be brought to the organizer. It will be the decision of the organizer to tackle such instances at the very best possible manner.

11. Changes during the tournament:

Keeping in mind the fairness of the tournament, the decisive panel has the full authority to make changes in the tournament.

The change, then executed, has to be practiced by all the teams involved without any obstacles. Any team found not adapting to the change, shall be disqualified there itself.

12. Whatsapp Group

Only the captain and the representative of each team(total 2 members) will be added in the whatsapp group. Addition of other members will not be entertained. If added, shall be removed by the admin. The members of the decisive panel will also be present in the group. Any constraints, complaints, concerns, etc can be raised and thereafter can be evaluated. It is advised that any team having any concern can first speak to the organizer and then if necessary they can post it in the whatsapp group. Unnecessary posting of messages makes the group too much noisy. Hence, to avoid this, concerns raised shall only be responded by the decisive panel. Any other team facing the same concern can Echo that.

13. No Question to be asked for any decision taken by a particular team

Any decision taken by a particular team officially, during the tenure of the tournament cannot be questioned by any of the teams or players or the decisive pannel. It will be only the organizer who has the right to get information with regards to the decision taken from the concerned team. Decisions which are against the spirit of the game cannot be entertained at any point of time during the entire course of tournament. After speaking to the concerned team, organiser will then take forward to the decisive pannel wherein further analysis and structural plan of the tournament will be decided. That decision has to be mandatorily accepted by other teams in the contest.

14. Uniform in tournament

Every team participating in the tournament has to ensure the players in their team are in their team's Jersey. No half trousers or bare foot play is allowed. Every player should wear shoes.

It is a tournament and it has a dignity. Please ensure the dignity is maintained.

15. Overs to be bowled in the tournament:

All the league matches within the groups will be of 12 overs, in which, 2 players can bowl a maximum of 3 overs each and 3 players can bowl a maximum of 2 overs each. ( Power Play will be of 3 overs)

Quarter finals, semi-finals will be of 15 overs, in which, 5 players can bowl a maximum of 3 overs each. (Power Play will be of 4 overs)

Final will be of 20 overs, in which, 5 players can bowl a maximum of 4 overs each. (Power play will be of 6 overs)

All the very best to the teams.