SA20 might implement impact player rule: Reports

SA 20, the premier domestic T20 league of South Africa, is considering the implementation of the impact player rule, which has been a source of much contention and criticism in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season. 

The rule allows each IPL team to designate five substitute players in addition to their starting XI before the match. Meanwhile, during the match, the captain can choose one of these substitutes to replace a player from the starting XI. These substitute players are called impact players. 

Essentially, this rule allows teams to play an extra batter or a bowler as per their needs, which is especially helpful for the batting sides in T20 cricket as it allows them to prolong their batting.

That, in turn, allows the batters at the top to play with even more freedom, and the result of that reckless abandon has reflected itself in the skyscrapers of runs that have been built with alarming consistency in IPL 2024. 

As reported by Cricbuzz, the tournament administrators will be meeting soon to plan the upcoming 2025 season of the SA20, and that’s where the rule and its implementation in the league will be discussed.

Former South African international Jacques Kallis was quoted as saying that he had a chat with Graeme Smith, the SA20 commissioner, and from what he understands, “they're not going to do it.”

The fact that IPL team owners own all six teams in the SA20 might push for this rule’s inclusion in the league. However, the league already allows the captains to nominate 13 players before the toss, two of whom sit out but can come in the game during any of the breaks.