Caribbean Premier League will be following football’s ‘red card’ equivalent regulation this summer with an ambition to counter the slow over rates experienced in the men’s and the women’s iteration of the tournament over the years.
In a first in cricket, CPL 2023 could force oppositions guilty of erring on the over-rate to take the field with one fielder less – yes, not the 30-yard, but the field as a whole – if they fail to start the 20th over on the stipulated time. The umpires will have the power to impose harsh in-game penalties on the teams they find guilty of over-rate breaches.
The over-rate regulations have been determined on the basis of the 85-minute rule: teams are required to start the 20th over of the innings within 85 minutes, and failure to do so amounts to an over-rate breach. But in an extensive set of laws, CPL will start determining over-rate breaches from the 18th over itself.
The 17th over has to be completed by 72 minutes and 15 seconds from the start of the innings, while the 18th and the 19th overs must be concluded by 76 minutes and 30 seconds and 80 minutes and 45 seconds, respectively.
On the first offence, teams will have to bring in one additional fielder inside the 30-yard circle and then another upon failing to comply with the regulation by the conclusion of the 18th over. The red card will be introduced on the failure to complete the 19th over on time, and the fielding team will then have to remove a fielder entirely.
With those rules laid out, the authorities have also kept in mind the scenarios of batting teams deliberately trying to slow down the proceedings and avail advantages. To counter this possibility, CPL umpires have been given the power to impose a five-run penalty on the batting team if they find that the side concerned is indulging in such unfair tactics. Two warnings will be issued before the fine is ultimately slapped.
“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,”
a CPL statement reads.
“Dispensations will be given for injuries, DRS and time-wasting by batting side where appropriate.”
The men’s CPL 2023 kicks off on August 17, while the women’s version of the established T20 tournament starts on August 31.
