Caribbean Premier League Introduces In-Game Penalties To Curb Slow Over-Rate Problem

With controlling the slow over-rate becoming a big challenge for administrators all around the cricket world, the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) has taken the initiative to curb the menace by introducing in-game penalties.

To stop teams from wasting time and to put pressure on them to bowl 20 overs within the stipulated 85 minutes, the organisers of the Caribbean Premier League have introduced six in-game penalties for teams guilty of maintaining a slow overrate. These penalties will kick in after the 17th over though the players, spectators and viewers will also be informed of the overrate at the end of every over.

The new rules, which will apply to the women's tournament too, will come into effect from the upcoming CPL 2023 season which starts on August 17 with Jamaica Tallawahs taking on St Lucia Kings in Gros Islet. The women's event will start on August 31 with a game between Barbados Royals and Guyana Amazon Warriors in Barbados. 

"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," the CPL organisers said in a statement on Saturday.

To ensure that games are finished in good time, penalties for slow over rates will kick in from the 18th over, and will be as follows: 

--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 batting teams to keep the game moving. After a first and final warning from the umpires, the batting team will be given a 5 (run) penalty for each instance of time wasting. 

“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, CPL’s Tournament Operations Director, said.

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"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,” he added.