WPL 2023 Rules and Playing Conditions: Powerplay, Field Restriction, Overseas Players Limit and DRS

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The inaugural Women's Premier League - WPL 2023 is all set to start on Saturday (March 4) with five teams set to battle for the coveted title.

After a long wait, a women's edition of a premium T20 tournament in India is finally set to be held by BCCI. While we have seen Australia's Women's Big Bash League and other women's T20I matches, some of the rules may be unfamiliar for most.

The regular rules of a normal T20 like 11 players a side, 20 overs each, number of powerplay overs and all remain the same, but there are few alterations like field restrictions, boundary length and more which make it even more tougher for fielding teams.

Also, like in the IPL, the overseas rule remains the same as does the strategic timeout. But, now let's take a look at some of the important rules and playing conditions in the Women's T20 game.

WPL 2023 Rules

How are the points distributed in WPL league stage?

Each win is awarded 2 points, while a No Result sees the points split between the two teams. The loser gets zero points.

What happens in case the match ends in a tie after both teams complete the allotted overs?

If there is a tie, super over is used to determine the winner until one is found. If it's not possible to play or complete the super over, the match will be tied and both teams will be awarded one point each.

How about the super over rule in the playoffs?

If the Super Over is not possible in the eliminator or the final, then the winner will be decided based on their position in the points table after the league stage.

How many teams qualify for WPL playoffs?

The top three after the round-robin stage progress to the playoffs. While the table-topper enters the final directly, the second and third-placed teams meet in the eliminator to book a final berth.

How many overseas players are allowed in each playing 11 in WPL?

The overseas players limit is four. However, there is an exception for an Associate Nation player to be allowed to play as the fifth overseas player. This season, only Delhi Capitals have an associate player in their squad.

How many overs per side and per bowler?

Each team is allotted 20 overs each. But the number of overs could reduce owing to weather or any other circumstances. If the overs are reduced, then the DLS calculation comes to play.

Each bowler is allowed a maximum of four overs per innings in a 20-over match.

How many overs need to be completed to determine a result?

A minimum of 5 overs is required from both sides to decide the winner. If 5 overs is not completed by both teams, then the points are shared if there is no further play.

How long does the powerplay last in WPL?

Like in every 20 over game, the powerplay is on from overs 1 to 6. They may vary if there is reduction of overs in the match due to rain or any other circumstances.

In case of interruption leading to over reduction, what will be the number of poweplay overs?

Unlike the men's game, the inner ring and field restrictions are different in the women's edition, but what is the change?

The 30 yard circle is only 25 yards in the women's game. And the field restrictions inside powerplay remains 2 outside the ring, while the restrictions after the powerplay is only four players are allowed outside the 25 yards compared to the five allowed in the men's edition.

Is there a change to the boundary length as well?

Yes, like the 30 yard circle is reduced to 25 yards, the boundary length as per ICC states, no boundary shall be longer than 70 yards (64 meters), and no boundary should be shorter than 60 yards (54.86 metres) from the centre of the pitch to be used.

Is there DRS in WPL?

Yes, each team will be allowed two unsuccessful reviews each in each innings. So, Team A and Team B will have two reviews when fielding and two when batting. The TV umpire will be allowed to use UltraEdge and HawkEye technologies for edge detection and ball-tracking.

DRS can also be used to review wides and waist high no balls. The TV umpire can use the ball-tracking technology to make the call.

Is there strategic time out in the WPL?

Yes, each innings has two strategic time outs. The strategic time out windows are overs 6-9 and 13-16. The fielding team uses the powerplay first window and then the batting team.