The International Cricket Council has made a late adjustment to playing conditions for the upcoming World Cup, lessening the likelihood of joint winners.

If the March 29 final of the one-day tournament ends in a tie, the two sides will play a super over to decide who lifts the trophy.

The ICC had previously declared the unlikely scenario would result in both sides being declared co-champions.

There is still an incredibly unlikely chance of that happening, if the final and reserve day are both washed out.

In the case of other knock-out matches being tied, the team ranked higher in the pool stage will progress.

It was this rule that helped Australia win the World Cup in 1999, when their semi-final against South Africa at Edgbaston ended with scores level following Allan Donald’s dramatic run-out.

In a boost for England captain Eoin Morgan and South Africa skipper AB de Villiers, the ICC board also agreed on Wednesday that prior over-rate offences would not count against captains at the World Cup.

Ordinarily, as was the case with George Bailey earlier this month, a captain would suffer a one-game ban if responsible for slow over-rates twice in the space of 12 months.

But the ICC decided on Wednesday that every skipper will have their slow-over strikes wiped for major tournaments.

De Villiers was fined for his side’s slow over-rate against Australia in November, while Morgan was punished for the same offence in a one-day loss to Sri Lanka in December.

Meanwhile, administrators also confirmed they will attempt to crack down on sledging.

“The ICC Board reiterated its support for the umpires clamping down on poor player behaviour, particularly leading into and during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015,” the ICC said in a statement.

The World Cup starts on February 14, when New Zealand hosts Sri Lanka in Christchurch and Australia meet England at the MCG.