'Every single run counts... make a huge difference': India legend's blunt take on 5-run penalty on USA against India in T20 World Cup 2024

Indian cricket team's big 7-wicket win against the co-hosts the United States in match 25 of the ongoing edition of the T20 World Cup 2024 at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York, on June 12 (Wednesday) helped them qualify for the Super 8 stage. However, the match also witnessed the first-ever penalty for a time-limit offence in T20Is. Indian legend Dinesh Karthik addressed it and said it made a huge difference in the match and India's win. 

USA concede a five-run penalty to India

The USA team broke the ICC's new time limit rule, which states that the bowler has to be ready to deliver the first ball of the next over within 60 seconds. However, after failing to meet this requirement three times, the USA was hit with a five-run penalty and India was awarded with those five free runs. This incident occurred before the 16th over, when India's score was 76 runs. Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube were at the crease and the penalty boosted India's total to 81 runs, taking them closer to their target of 111.

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As per the rule:

"If the bowling team is not ready to bowl the next over within 60 seconds of the previous over being completed, a five-run penalty will be imposed the third time it happens in an innings."

Dinesh Karthik reacts to five-run penalty

Dinesh Karthik reacting to the time-limit offence said that in cricket every single run matters and the five-run penalty made a huge difference in that match. However, he also praised the USA team for their valiant efforts.

“In T20s, every single run counts, and it's even more evident in the low-scoring matches we've seen in the USA. Hats off to USA for their fighting spirit! That 5-run penalty proved to make a huge difference,” wrote Karthik from his official ‘X’ account formerly known as Twitter.

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