How do strategic time-outs work in the SA20?

Each innings has two strategic time-outs of 2 minutes 30 seconds. Players and umpires start moving back into position after 2 minutes so play restarts when the countdown clock hits zero. Drinks may come on, but no practice is allowed.

When they happen in a full 20-over innings:

• Only the fielding captain or the batters at the wicket can call their time-out, by telling an on-field umpire or the fourth umpire before the bowler starts the run-up for the last ball of the over. A late call carries over to the end of the next over.
• If a team doesn't choose, the umpires call the time-outs at the end of the 9th and 16th overs.
• No coach or other team official may call one.
• The umpires signal a time-out by tapping a raised wrist.

Shortened matches: the windows move earlier (for example overs 5-7 and 11-13 in a 16-over innings). With 14 overs or fewer per innings there are no time-outs, and the Match Referee can cancel the remaining time-outs after a long delay. If the batting side is bowled out before a time-out is due, that time-out doesn't happen.