Power Surge in BBL: What is the new Power Surge rule in Big Bash League 2020-21?

Power Surge in BBL: Power surge is one of the three new rules implemented to allure new fans in Big Bash League 2020-21.

The ongoing 10th season of the Big Bash League will be remembered as a testing ground for three new rules which Cricket Australia have introduced to primarily allure new fans towards the sport.

In addition to the X-factor Player, BBL 2020-21 is also witnessing ‘Power Surge’ and ‘Bash Boost’ as both of them have doubtlessly increased the tactical side of things and the involvement of coaches.

In the two completed matches so far, teams have restrained from using the X-factor player and understandably so. Playing only their first match of the season, one would expect teams to stick to their best XIs irrespective of how the game is placed at the 10-over mark of the first innings.

Power Surge in BBL

While the aforementioned rule is optional, the other two aren’t. Talking specifically about ‘Power Surge’, it is the most simplest out of the three rules.

Before BBL 10, the first six overs of an innings in a BBL match was termed as a “powerplay” much like what still happens in other T20s and T20Is. The think-tank behind these rules has broken the six-over powerplay into two blocks of four and two overs respectively.

While the four-over powerplay will have to be taken at the start of the innings, i.e., the first four overs of an innings, the second two-over powerplay called as the “Power Surge” can only be taken after the halfway mark. In simple words, the ‘Power Surge’ rule break a six-over powerplay in a T20 match into four and two-over powerplays where the second one can only be taken after the 10th over.

In the first three innings of the tournament, teams opted to go for the ‘Power Surge’ either in the 11th over itself or during the middle phase of the second half. Going forward, it would be interesting to see if teams wait till the last two overs for opting for ‘Power Surge’.

It is worth mentioning that BBL 2019-20 runners-up Melbourne Stars, who have started this season on a winning note against Brisbane Heat, sealed a 126-run chase in the 18th over without opting for ‘Power Surge’. Had the match gone into the last two overs, Stars’ batsmen would’ve benefited of having only two fielders outside the 30-yard circle.