The option for a team to call in a batter who is struggling and chewing up too many balls has always been there. There were 26 instances of that 'dismissal' in international and domestic T20s last year - almost 50% of the total number in the history of the format. It has also happened twice more since the turn of the year in the Big Bash, while Northern Districts retired out two batters in the same innings in New Zealand's Super Smash in January. A batter has retired out in a T20 World Cup before - in a match involving England no less - when Namibia batter Nikolaas Davin walked off to allow David Wiese to come to the middle in the 2024 group stage. But with the stigma around the move gone, could this be the tournament of the retired out?

Source: BBC February 05, 2026 13:27 UTC