Rules for AVIN Premier League 2024

General Points:

1. The tournament shall be played between 7:15am to 4:30pm on 7th and 8th December 2024 at St. John's Staff Quarters Ground. All teams should assemble in the ground before 7:15 am. It is the team captain's responsibility to ensure team members arrive before 7:15 am.
2. All members arriving via personal vehicles should park their Vehicles in office parking: area and then walk to the ground. Distance: about 300m from office entrance). Facility for parking of vehicles at the ground is limited.
3. Drinking water, Tea and coffee will be provided. Also, the company would be providing lunch during afternoon for all members taking part in the tournament on both the days.
4. All members shall follow professionalism and play in good spirit of the game. Malpractices/ harassment/ unnecessary aggression of any kind shall not be entertained.
5. All players must be in the sports wear (Sports Shoes T-shirts and Tracks). Teams can bring their bats (if needed). Other required cricket equipment for Tournament matches will be provided (Cricket Bats Tennis Balls, wickets).
6. The decision of the match officials and the organizing team shall be final and binding to all members.
7. The detailed rules are provided below.

Cricket Tournament Rules:

1. Tournament will consist of league matches, followed by Semi Finals and then Final.
2. There will be 2 groups consisting of 4 teams in each group. Each team will play against each other teams in the group.
3. The top 2 teams from each group will qualify to semifinals based on points & in case of tie in points net run rate will be used.
4. Semi-Finals will be between Group A Topper vs Group B Second Topper. Group B Topper vs Group A Second Topper. Team rankings will be decided based on points & net run rate once all the Group matches are done.
5. One player can represent one team only. In case of any shortage/ injury - the same should be discussed with organizing team members.
6. All teams must report to the ground 15 minutes before the scheduled start time.
7. Each match will start at the exact time as scheduled. Any team reaching late by more than 5 minutes may be disqualified and the opposite team will be awarded with walkthrough (2 match Points).
8. All league stage matches shall be of 6 overs (5 1) a side. The Semifinals and finals may have additional overs (Depending on time availability).
9. A fielding team cannot change Fielders and need to use 9 male players and 2 female players from the total team.
10. The ball used in the tournament will be Wilson-4. In case if scarcity of balls, the organizers may arrange an alternate soft tennis ball which ever available.
11. In case of Injury to female player: League matches female fielder from other teams are not allowed. Team need to play their own players available. For Semi & Final they can use replacement women players from the eliminated team female players. This shall be informed to the match officials and opposition captain and then upon their consent, replacement player can be included.
12. The first over of the match shall be bowled by a women member of bowling and team and 2 women members of batting side shall take strike for this over. Beyond the initial over, the women batsmen may continue the innings (up to team’s decision). After 1st over, the women batsmen can be retired out and replaced by male batsmen.
13. Maximum overs a bowler can bowl is 2 overs. If the total overs of semifinal and final are increased, then the maximum overs for 1 bowler can be 3 overs.
14. All rules pertaining to dismissals (Bowled, caught, stumped, hit wicket, run-out) and extras (wide, no-ball, byes, leg-byes etc.) shall be according to ICC rules. In this tournament, there would be no LBW.
15. In case of a tie during Semifinals and Finals only, a super over can be planned. The chasing team would be batting first in super over.
16. In case of playing ball lost (due to sixer beyond boundary) or damage to the ball, then the officiating umpires would provide an alternate ball. The ball selection and awarding shall be decision of umpires and both teams shall abide by the decision.
17. Extra Runner is allowed only when Batsman is injured during the play of the match in agreement with the match officials and the opponent captain.
18. No objections should be raised to Umpire's decision. Only captains will be allowed to discuss with the Umpire for any query regarding any particular decision. The decision of the umpire and tournament organizing team shall be final a, binding on the teams.
19. Due to the ground dimensions, only 2 runs will be awarded for a boundary in the fielding area between Long Stop to Square leg of batting side (leg side). This point has been explained to all captains and accepted by them.

1. For the purpose of clarity, when a shot is played and ball travels aerial towards the boundary - if the ball touches the trees located at the boundary, it would constitute as sixer and 6 runs will be awarded to batting team. If the ball hits the tree branch and drops within the boundary- then also it would be considered as a sixer.
2. For Umpires --
   1. For any ball passing above or beyond the wide length - it is to be declared as wide;
   2. No Ball (Crease) - If any part of bowlers’ foot is not behind the bowling crease during deliver- it shall constitute a no-ball;
   3. If the ball delivered (in full) is above the waist level of batsmen, the square leg umpire can declare it as a no-ball.
   4. Run Out - once the batsmen enters (foot/ bat grounded) within the crease and then the run is completed. if bails/stumps are dislodged when batsmen's feet/bat is in air/ not reached - then it is run out.
   5. One bouncer per over is allowed. The second bouncer shall be declared as No-ball and next delivery would be a free hit. If the ball bounces above the head of a batsmen, it shall be declared as wide and additionally declared as 1st bounce of the over. 
   6. Mankading is allowed - one prior warning to be provided to the batsmen prior to declaring as out.
   7. Overthrows - The ball is considered to be in play when it is with players. The ball becomes dead when the throw reaches keeper (and collected properly). When the ball is active, the extras such as byes, leg byes and overthrows can be taken by the batting side.
   8. Hit wicket/ Bowled/ Run out - the bails to be dislodged/ stumps are to be disturbed.
   9. During free-hit balls - the only mode of dismissals are: run out and stumped.
   10. Chucking - Umpires can directly declare if the bowler's delivery action is not legal (chucking) - by mutual discussion between bowling side umpire and the square leg umpire. Or alternately, the batsmen may appeal for chuck and the on-field umpires shall decide if the appeal is correct or not. If the appealed delivery if declared as chucking – it shall be declared as no-ball. If not, upon 2nd occurrence of chucking- the bowler would be disqualified to bowl in the innings.
   11. For all types of no-balls (crease, height, chucking, side line etc.) the next legal delivery would be a free hit.
   12. During a bouncer, if the ball raises above the head of the batsmen standing straight at the popping crease, then the ball shall be declared as wide-ball.
   13. Dead ball - if the ball delivered by bowler bounces more than one time before reaching the batting side crease, then the ball shall be declared as dead-ball. The delivery shall not be counted as legal; runs scored (if any) shall not be valid and delivery should be re-bowled.
   14. Bowler should inform the bowling guard to the umpire at the start of the every over. If guard is not mentioned, then the ball shall be a no-ball.
3. In league stages, each innings should be completed within 25 minutes from the start of the match. A grace of 4 minutes beyond this time is allowed. However, if innings extend to 5 minutes more than allocated time, a penalty of 1 run per minute will be added to the batting team score. The maximum penalty shall not exceed 8 runs or 8 minutes max. buffer beyond allocated time slot.
4. If the innings is not completed even after 33 minutes (including penalty),
   1. During the first innings: the bowling team would be awarded with added penalty of 1 over reduction in their batting innings (along with the 8 penalty runs).
   2. During the second innings: the bowling team fails to complete the innings within 33 mins then the batting team shall be declared as winners.
5. In the batting side in case of dismissal, a new batsman should be ready within 45 seconds from the dismissal. If not ready, the officials can retire the batsmen.
6. The scorer should keep track of the innings timings. Should inform the 2 scoring members of each side if the limit is nearing completion.            
7. One baby over per innings is allowed (only in case of injury/ unable to repeatedly bowl legal deliveries etc.). The bowling side captain should request the match officials and upon approval, use another player to complete the remaining over. Women player to be replaced with Women player and vice versa.
8. If any scenarios not clarified above arises during the tournament, the decision of the match officials and the organizing team shall be final and binding to all teams.