The IPL has introduced a number of rules that are not prevalent in international cricket, and made them quite popular across the world. The most significant rule introduced for the first time in IPL 2023 was the Impact Player rule. This rule allows a team to replace an on-field player with another player, either during the start of an innings, after the fall of a wicket (while batting), or the start of a new over (while bowling). While this has been criticized a lot, another competition has now adopted this very impact player rule.
The Lanka Premier League (LPL) has now officially confirmed that the 2026 edition of the league will feature the Impact Player rule. This thus becomes the second competition in the world after the IPL to adopt this rule.
The LPL has also mandated that an Under-23 player has to be present in each playing XI during a match.
Apart from adapting rules of the IPL, the LPL is also set to feature an Indian player for the first time. Recently retired all-rounder Vijay Shankar will play for the Kandy Royals.
Sachin Tendulkar Criticizes Impact Player Rule
At the ESPN Cricinfo awards, Sachin Tendulkar clearly stated that he felt that the Impact Player rule needed to go away, because adding another player in a 20-ober match presents an extra challenge to the bowlers, who are already facing a lot of challenges.
“The Impact Player needs to go away. That is my personal opinion. I feel, in a T20 match, you just have to play 20 overs and then you are adding one more batter to that lineup where bowlers are already being challenged,” he said.
Sachin Tendulkar also suggested that the last two overs of the powerplay of an IPL game should be controlled by the bowlers. Also, he suggested that one bowler should be allowed to bowl five overs.
“The second one, maybe a suggestion, the powerplay of six overs with field restrictions; let the first four overs be a batters’ powerplay with the field restrictions. Post that, the remaining two, it should be determined by the fielding captain whenever he would like to take, will also get one fielder extra outside the ring at any stage of the game,” said Tendulkar.
“And one bowler should be allowed to bowl five overs. Invariably, the best bowler of the side will take that fifth over. Wouldn’t you want to see your best bowler bowling more? The top batters bat even 20 overs sometimes. Why shouldn’t the best bowler be bowling five overs,” he added.
