CPL 2023: Sunil Narine Shown Red Card For Over-rate Breach, Kieron Pollard Left Unimpressed

Caribbean Premier League: Veteran off-spinner Sunil Narine became the first cricketer to be shown a red card for over-rate breach in a Caribbean Premier League (CPL) match for his team Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots.

The ongoing CPL 2023 saw the organisers introduce new penalties to tackle slow over rates, leading to games ending very late. It said, “if a fielding team starts their 18th over beyond the scheduled time, they would need to bring one extra fielder inside the thirty-yard circle.”

“If they were behind before the start of the 19th over as well, another fielder had to come in, making it just three outside the circle. If the fielding team is still behind before the start of the final over, they would be shown a red card, and be required to send a fielder of their choice off the field.”

The ruling meant the total number of fielders on the field would drop from 11 to 10, inclusive of the bowler and wicketkeeper. The fielder to be eliminated can be chosen by the fielding captain. As per the ruling, six fielders would have to be inside the circle, leaving only two fielders outside of it.

In the match at Warner Park, Trinbago fell behind time, and had to bring one, then another, fielder inside the 30-yard circle. However, when they fell short of over-rate again, after 19 overs, the umpire showed a red card.

Captain Kieron Pollard chose to send Narine off the field for the final over, bowled by Dwayne Bravo with only two fielders outside the 30-yard circle. "This could be a historic moment here… oh, red card. You don't want to see that colour card."

"They must field with only ten, so somebody has to leave the field. And only two outside the 30-yard circle. The absolute last thing that he (Pollard) would want. And imagine the bowler!" said former West Indies fast-bowler Ian Bishop on air when the red card was shown.

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After Trinbago chased down 179 to win by six wickets, Pollard was left unimpressed over red-card ruling. “To be honest, it will take away the hard work everyone has done. We are like the pawns and we are going to do what we are told. We are going to play as fast as we can. If you are penalised for 30-45 seconds in a tournament like this, it is absolutely ridiculous,” he said after the match ended.