KFC Big Bash League coaches will have the power call for timeouts during matches this summer under new rules introduced for the ninth edition of the men’s competition.

Strategic breaks in play have long been used in American sports like basketball and the same power has now been handed to coaches and captains in the BBL.

Teams will be able to call for a 90-second break anytime between the seventh and 13th overs of their batting innings, although the break can only occur at the end of an over.

If a batting team chooses not to call for a timeout, there will still be a 90-second break at the end of the 13th over.

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A strategic timeout of two-and-a-half minutes has been used in the Indian Premier League for several years.

"We’ve seen the strategic time outs used in other T20 competitions around the world," said Alistair Dobson, the Head of the BBL.

"We feel that providing the batting team with the power to call a time out will add an extra tactical dimension to the outcome of the game, with the priority of maximising runs."

The BBL has also confirmed a change to the controversial boundary countback rule that helped England lift the World Cup title earlier this year.