The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 carnival is on the roll with the warm-up games underway. Sixteen warm-up games are scheduled to be played before the group stage games starting on the 1st of June, 2024.
The BCCI has shared videos of the Indian Cricket Team practicing hard in the nets. The real test would be in the middle, when the action begins on June 05th. Before that the Blues have a single warm-up game at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York.
Also Read: Team India’s Report Card at T20 World Cup
As a cricket fan, one question that’s bound to pop up is do these warm-up games count? What if Jasprit Bumrah takes in a 5-fer, or Rohit Sharma slams a hundred? Will these runs or wickets be added up in their International career or even in their First-Class/T20 career?
If you are looking for answers to such never-answered questions before, we have it covered, just for you.
What is a Warm-up match?
In cricket, warm-up games are just practice games that teams play before a series or tournament to get ready for the main event. The rules for these matches can vary and are usually agreed upon by the teams beforehand.
1. Format
Warm-up games can be T20s, One Day Internationals (ODIs), or multi-day games, depending on the upcoming series or tournament. The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 warm-up games will be played with 20 overs per side.
2. Number of Players
Teams can use more than eleven players in warm-up games, allowing all squad members to practice.
3. Overs
The number of overs can be decided by agreement between the teams or organizers. Usually in ICC tournament warm-up games the overs are set as per the main pool games in the tournament.
4. Match Conditions
Teams might try different rules during the warmup games, like allowing a player to bat again after getting out, shuffling the batting order, or testing different bowling strategies.
5. Result
The results of warm-up games are usually not officially recorded or do not carry points. The main purpose is to help teams prepare rather than to win. However, scorecards are published to keep the fans aware.
6. Playing Time
The length of warm-up games can vary. Some might be a full day, while others can be shorter, depending on what the teams need.
7. Umpires
Warm-up games may not always have official umpires. Teams might agree to officiate the match themselves or use local umpires. In all major ICC tournaments, it’s the ICC who sets their umpiring panel; however, during the practice games for regular bilateral tournaments, the host cricket board organizes local umpires to officiate the games.
8. Pitch
The pitch conditions in warm-up games are usually similar to what is expected in the main competition. Teams may request specific conditions to practice certain skills.
To keep it in simple words, any run scored, any wicket taken, or any catch completed by a fielder, will not go down in record books. The warm-up games are only meant to help the team assess their final preparations and what combinations they need to play with.
Overall, the rules for warm-up games are flexible, allowing teams to fine-tune their skills and strategies before the main competition. The warm-up games should give Captain Rohit Sharma a fair assessment of where his team is at the moment in their quest to win the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
The Sportz Planet Desk,
Atharva Shetye.
