MPL 2017 Tournament Format

Round-Robin Stage

• 1.0: Each of the five teams will play a total of 10 matches in the round-robin stage.
• 1.1: For each team, eight of the 10 matches will constitute playing twice against the other four teams.
• 1.2: For each team, the remaining two matches will constitute playing a third time against two of the other four teams, which will be randomly chosen using the following pairings of teams have been pre-generated.
• 1.3: Team 1 will play Team 3 and Team 5.
• 1.4: Team 2 will play Team 3 and Team 4.
• 1.5: Team 3 will play Team 1 and Team 2.
• 1.6: Team 4 will play Team 2 and Team 5.
• 1.7: Team 5 will play Team 1 and Team 4.
• 1.8: The captains of the five teams in MPL 2017 will, prior to commencing the Player’s Auction, draw a chit with the number, to determine their ‘team number’, and thus to determine the other two teams they will play a third time.
• 1.8: The entire schedule for MPL 2017 will be announced on or prior to Sunday, June 4th, 2017.
• 1.10: MPL 2017 starts on Monday, June 5th 2017, at Ashland Field, with Incredibles hosting Justice League.
• 1.11: There will be a total of two matches a week in June – both at Ashland Field. Teams will be scheduled to play a minimum of zero, and a maximum of one match a week.
• 1.12: There will be a total of four matches a week in July and August – split between Ashland Field and Sargent Field. Teams will be scheduled to play a minimum of one, and a maximum of two matches a week.
• 1.13: We are making certain assumptions about the ground permits for Ashland Field, and Sargent Field – that we will have it for the days that matches are scheduled.
• 1.14: We will do our best to ensure all teams get as close to equal number of matches at Ashland Field and Sargent Field.
• 1.15: If changes are required to the schedule, after we receive the field permit, we will update the schedule accordingly, which in turn could impact i.e. reduce the number of matches played by each team in the round-robin stage and/or change the dates and venue of matches.
• 1.16: There will be a total of 25 matches in the round-robin stage, and two matches in the Playoffs, for a total of 27 matches.
• 1.17: The first four matches that are washed-out during the round-robin stages will be replayed.
• 1.18: The points from the remaining washed out matches will be split by the two teams.
• 1.19: Each win is worth two points. A wash out earns each team, one point.

Playoff’s

• 2.0: Top three teams at the end of the round-robin stage will advance to the Playoff’s.
• 2.1: Team ranked first will proceed to the MPL 2017 Final.
• 2.2: Teams ranked second and third will face-off in the only Eliminator – provided that the point difference between teams ranked second and third is five points or less.
• 2.3: The winner of the Eliminator will advance to the MPL 2017 Final.
• 2.7: The MPL Final will be a one-off match to determine the MPL 2017 Champions.

Playing Conditions

• 1.0: All MPL matches will start with the number of overs specified beforehand. There will be no curtailing of overs once the game begins. By default all MPL matches will be 14-overs a side.
  • 1.1: If rain prevents a match from being completed, then the match is considered a wash-out. The stats for the game will be counted for personal milestones but not for NRR.
  • 1.1.1: Owing to the increase in the number of matches, we will only be able to reschedule the first four washed out matches during the round-robin stage.
  • 1.1.2: If more than four matches from the round-robin stage are washed out, the teams, from the fifth match on, will split points.
  • 1.1.3: All washed out matches that get rescheduled, will be played at the end of the completion of all previously scheduled round-robin matches.
  • 1.1.4: If all washed out matches that get rescheduled impact the same team, this team could likely play all four matches during the same week, on four consecutive days.
  • 1.1.5: In the event that a rescheduled match is washed-out, the two teams involved will each receive one point.
  • 1.2: All Playoff matches that are washed out will be get rescheduled.
• 2.0: All matches will be deemed to have a winner (unless condition 1.1 applies).
  • 2.1: If matches are tied at the end of the stipulated time, we will play a Super Over.
  • 2.2: If at the end of the Super Over, the scores are still tied, then the team that lost fewer wickets in the Super Over wins.
  • 2.3: If that is also tied then the team with the fewer wickets lost in the actual match wins.
  • 2.4: If that is also tied then the team played out the fewest dot balls in the actual match wins.
  • 2.5: If 2.4 cannot break the tie, we will have a Super Toss to decide the winner. The designated away-team captain will call the toss. The captain who wins the toss will be awarded the points.
  • 2.5: If the umpires deem that the Super Over cannot be held or finished owing to either safety (light/dampness/rain) or ground permit restrictions, then conditions 2.3, 2.4, and 2.5 will apply.
  • 2.6: The team that wins a match is awarded two points.
• 3.0: All matches will have power play overs as stipulated below. The Super Over is not a power play over.
  • 3.1: For the standard 14 over game, overs 1-3 are the ‘mandatory power play’ overs.
  • 3.2: There will be an additional ‘batting power play’ of two overs. The batting team can take this power play anytime starting from the start of the sixth over to the start of the 10th over. If the batting power play is not taken, it will automatically commence from the 11th over.
  • 3.3: An inner-circle must be created by the home team, measuring 90-feet from the center of the pitch. The home-team will place the orange discs from the kit-bag, along the 90-feet circle
  • 3.4: Power Play condition 1: During the ‘mandatory power play’ only two fielders can be placed outside the inner circle. The fielding team can place these two fielders anywhere, with no restrictions.
  • 3.5: Power Play condition 2: During the ‘batting power play’ only three fielders can be placed outside the inner circle. The fielding team can place these three fielders anywhere, with no restrictions.
  • 3.6: Non-Power Play condition: During the non power play period of the game, a maximum of six fielders can be placed outside the inner circle. The fielding team can place these six fielders anywhere, with no restrictions.
  • 3.7: At any given point in the game, the fielding team can place all fielders within the inner circle.
• 4.0: There are no declared runs without batsmen crossing. 1-D still means that batsmen have to exchange strike.
• 5.0: Set up time penalties. There will be runs penalty for the home team for delays in setting up the match.
  • 5.1: Team listed first on the schedule is the home team. The home team is responsible for ground setup and this includes retrieving the kit, boundary lines, crease markings and stumps.
  • 5.2: Bails are required on the stumps at both ends of the wicket, at the start of every match. Umpires may chose to remove the bails for a period of time during a match, if windy conditions result in the bails repeatedly falling off the stumps.
  • 5.3: If the bails are removed for a period of time owing to windy conditions, they must be placed back on the stumps after the winds calm down.
  • 5.4: The Sargent Field Games will begin at 5:55 PM. Home team is responsible for having the ground ready by 5:50 PM.
  • 5.5: For Ashland Field matches, teams will be given additional 10 minutes – i.e. matches must start at 6:05 PM, with the ground being ready by 6 PM.
  • 5.6: Teams will be penalized two runs for every delay of four minutes after scheduled start time. This decision will be the umpires in consultation with MPL Committee.
• 6.0: Innings Delay Penalties. There will be penalties for both sides if they are delays in completion of the bowling quota.
  • 6.1: For 14 over matches, each team is allotted one hour to complete their overs. Bowling team will be penalized two runs for every four minutes over the hour.
  • 6.2: Umpires will decide the timings and the penalties.
• 7.0: Apart from LBWs and leg-byes, all rules of cricket (that have not been specified explicitly above) will be adhered to. This includes NBs, free hits etc.
  • 7.1: For a ball to be called a no-ball owing to height, the batsman need not be within his crease.
  • 7.2: In the event that a batsman is outside the crease at the point of making contact with the ball, the umpires must decide if the same delivery would have met the criteria for being deemed a no-ball, as if the batsman was within the crease at the point of making contact with the same delivery.
• 8.0: All MPL matches will be 11 vs 11 players affair. In case of a team having less than 11 players for a match, they can field as many as they can.
  • 8.1: Since all matches are 11 vs 11 in the books, there is no last man (no exceptions).
  • 8.2: There are no substitute runners in MPL (no exceptions).
  • 8.3: There are no substitute fielders allowed in MPL. Only exception to the rule is to have substitutes to get the game underway on time while waiting for players to arrive.
• 9.0: All batting teams are responsible for scoring with the MPLBuzz App. Failure to score with the App will result in points penalty (at the discretion of the MPL Committee).
• 10.0: Players arriving late, may participate in the game from the start of the following over.
  • 10.1: A player who arrives after the match has started, and during a given over can start to field, bowl, and/or bat at the start of the following over.
  • 10.2: A player who arrives late, will thus only be required to wait out till the end of the over – a minimum of one, and a maximum of six balls.
  • 10.3: The only situation where a player arriving late may participate immediately, is if his team is batting, and he is the last batsman to join the only other un-dismissed batsman.

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