Caribbean Premier League Introduces Football-like Red Card Rule As Penalty To Counter Slow Over-rates

The Caribbean Premier League (CPL) has announced severe penalties for teams for slow over rate during the game, even putting in place a red card-like system of removing a player if the fielding side is behind schedule at the start of the 20th over of an innings, a first in the game.

The rules will be applicable in the 2023 campaign in both the men's and women's leagues.

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"We have been disappointed that our T20 games have been getting longer and longer each year, and we want to do what we can to arrest this trend," Michael Hall, the CPL's tournament operations director, said in a statement on the subject. "It is the duty of those involved in cricket to ensure that the game keeps moving and we have sensitised both the franchises and our match officials to this duty ahead of the tournament. Our hope is that these in-game penalties are not needed, but we believe they are proportionate and necessary."

The slow over-rate penalties

1.  If behind the required over rate at the start of the 18th over, one additional player must enter the fielding circle - for a total of five players inside the circle.

2.  If still behind the rate at the start of the 19th over, two additional fielders must enter the fielding circle (for a total of 6)

3.  If still behind the rate at the start of the 20th over, teams will lose a player from the field (selected by the captain) and have six inside the fielding circle.

4.  There will also be an onus on batting teams to keep the game moving. After a first and final warning from the umpires, the batting team will be given a 5 penalty for each instance of time wasting.

As per the rules, in the 2023 edition of the CPL, the 17th over of the innings must be completed by 72 minutes and 15 seconds, the 18th by 76 minutes and 30 seconds, and the 19th by 80 minutes and 45 seconds, before the last over ends within 85 minutes.

"Over rates will be monitored by the third umpire and communicated to the captains via on-field umpires at the end of every over, as well as to the crowd and TV audience, with graphics showing how far they are behind (or ahead of) the over rate," the statement said. "Dispensations will be given for injuries, DRS, and time-wasting by the batting side where appropriate."

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The men's CPL 2023 begins on August 17 with Jamaica Tallawahs taking on St Lucia Kings in Gros Islet while the women's tournament will start on August 31 with the opening fixture game between Barbados Royals and Guyana Amazon Warriors in Barbados.