CPL 2023 | Tournament to witness first-ever red-card-like system to restrict slow over-rates
The 2023 Caribbean Premier League is set to become the first-ever T20 league to bring in strict rules to restrict slow over-rates. In a new development, CPL have introduced a rule where a fielder will be removed from the fielding side if they are behind the schedule at the start of the 20th over.
With the new season of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) set to start on August 17, the tournament is set to implement some stringent rules to contain the teams from slow over-rates. The competition will bring in a red-card like system in football where a fielder from the fielding side will be removed from the field if they are behind the schedule by the start of the 20th over.
Reflecting on the set of rules to be imposed in the CPL, tournaments operations director, Michael Hall stated that they want to arrest the trend of T20 games getting longer.
"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. 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,” Hall remarked.
The fielding teams will start getting penalised from the 18th over if they are behind schedule. Apart from the penalties for fielding teams, the batting team will be also slapped with a five-run penalty for each instance of time-wasting after a warning from the umpires. Hall explained that the over rate will be monitored by umpires and it will be also displayed through the graphics.
"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. Dispensations will be given for injuries, DRS, and time-wasting by the batting side where appropriate,” he added.