Caribbean Premier League and WCPL to use ‘red card’ to combat slow over-rates

Football's world-famous red card rule will be deployed in cricket for the first time ever in the sport's history. A red card in football is generally given to players who are guilty of serious foul play and other violent conduct. The rule will now be used in West Indies' Caribbean Premier League from 2023 onwards.

As the game time in T20 cricket extends beyond limits, the rule will be used to monitor over-rate issues. This will be used both in men's and women's Caribbean leagues. The third umpire will keep track of the time status and will communicate over rate status to the players via the on-field umpires at various stages of the game. Notably, the upper limit to bowl out the full 20 overs remains the same at 85 minutes a side. But there are major tweaks in the final four overs, one of which even lead to a red card-like rule.

Penalties to be imposed with special attention in the final four overs

The penalties will be imposed on a bowling team in the final four overs of the innings. After the completion of the 16th over:

1. If the 17th over is not completed by 72 minutes and 15 seconds, the bowling team will need to bring one extra fielder inside the 30-yard circle (a total of five inside the



ring)

2. If the 18th over is not completed by 76 minutes and 30 seconds, the bowling team will need to bring two extra fielders inside the 30-yard circle (a total of six inside the ring)

3. If the 19th over is not completed by 80 minutes and 45 seconds, one fielder will be eliminated from the fielding side before the start of the 20th over. Apart from the fielder being eliminated, six players will continue to stay inside the 30-yard circle.

"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," CPL's Operations Director Michael Hall said. "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.

Notably, the bowling side will be given relief for injuries, DRS and the deliberate waste of time by the batting side. The batting teams will also be punished if they are not punctual. Following a warning for wasting time, the batting side will face a penalty of five runs for every other time waste incident.