#ipl 2009

What Is a Strategic Timeout in Cricket? — IPL's 2009 Innovation Explained

A strategic timeout in cricket is a brief, scheduled break in play during a T20 innings — most prominently used in the Indian Premier League — that allows the fielding and batting teams to consult tactically and that gives broadcasters a defined window for advertising. The IPL introduced the strategic timeout in its second season in 2009, and the rule has since become a defining structural feature of the tournament. Each innings has two strategic timeouts of two and a half minutes each, one taken by the bowling side and one by the batting side, both within fixed over-windows.