2025 Indian Premier League

The IPL has several rules that differ from the established laws of cricket or those used in other Twenty20 (T20) leagues:

• IPL games feature television timeouts. Each team is given a two-and-a-half-minute “tactical time-out” during each innings. One is taken by the bowling team at the end of the 6th, 7th, 8th or 9th over and the other by the batting team at the end of the 13th, 14th, 15th or 16th over. If the umpires see teams abusing this opportunity, a fine may be imposed.
• Since the 2018 season, the Decision Review System (DRS) has been used in all IPL matches, giving each team two chances per innings to review the on-field umpire’s decisions. From the 2023 season, this was extended to review wides and no-balls.
• If the bowling team does not complete their overs within the allotted time, they may keep only four fielders outside the fielding restriction circle for the remainder of the innings, or the match referee may impose a financial sanction on the bowling team after the match, fining the players a proportion of their match fees.
• From a list of five players named as possible substitutes, teams may use a substitute player known as an “impact player”. Before the start of the innings, when a batsman retires, a wicket falls or at the end of an over, he may be replaced. Both teams may introduce a substitute player once per match.
• Teams may declare their playing eleven to the match referee before or after the toss.
• If a fielder or wicketkeeper makes an unfair move while the bowler is bowling and the ball is declared dead, a penalty of five runs is imposed.
• Teams can include a maximum of four foreign players in their playing XI. If a team wants a foreign player as an impact player, they must include a maximum of three foreign players in their playing XI.
• The team must have 25 players, including a maximum of eight foreign players.
• From the 2024 season, bowlers will be allowed to bowl two bouncers per over. This change in playing conditions was tested during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, India’s domestic T20 tournament in 2023-24.