The International Cricket Council (ICC) is planning to introduce a new rule that will ban the popular but controversial ‘bunny hop’ style of boundary catches.

The move comes after eye-catching catches by players like Michael Neser, Tom Banton, and Matt Renshaw in different Big Bash League (BBL) seasons. One of the most talked-about moments was Neser’s catch during BBL 2023, where he caught the ball near the boundary, jumped in the air, threw the ball while still airborne beyond the boundary, landed outside the field, jumped again to tap the ball back in, and finally completed the catch inside the field. Banton and Renshaw made similar catches.

While the efforts amazed fans, many felt such catches looked strange and unfair. As a result, the ICC has decided to tighten the rules. According to new conditions, which will be added later this month, a fielder can only touch the ball once while they are outside the boundary. To complete a legal catch, the player must return to the field of play before catching the ball again.

The rule will also be added to the official Laws of Cricket by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in October 2026. In a note sent to ICC member boards, the MCC said that while the old rule led to some stunning fielding moments, it also allowed for catches that many cricket fans thought did not seem fair.