The Caribbean Premier League (CPL 2023) has taken a leaf out of the football rule book to curb time-wasting. In a first, the T20 league will impose a red card like system. Teams will be sanctioned for slow over-rate, with a potential 5-run penalty and a ‘suspension’ added.
The CPL 2023 organisers on Saturday released a list of sanctions franchises could face for not completing their allotted overs in time. The CPL has set a benchmark of 85 minutes for an entire innings, as is the ICC norm.
The bowling team needs to finish the 17th over in 72 minutes and 15 seconds. A failure to do so will force them to bring an extra fielder into the circle. The 18th over must be finished by 76 minutes and 30 seconds, barring which, two extra fielders must be inside the 30-yard circle.
CPL 2023: Over rate penalties
- 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 5)
- 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)
- 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.
- There will also be an onus on the 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.
However, in case of the 19th over not being in under 80 minutes and 45 seconds, a player will be eliminated from the field. The captain on the field will make the choice of removing the player. Batters too will have to hurry up proceedings, with a 5-run penalty to be imposed for time wasting.
Over-rate penalties are not uncommon with field restrictions imposed in other T20 leagues. Even the IPL saw an extra fielder forced into the 30-yard circle in cases of delay. However, the matches still lasted more than 4 hours long on most occasions.
“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,” remarked Michael Hall, the Tournament Operations Director of the CPL.
