The Caribbean Premier League (CPL) has recently implemented a penalty system for slow over rates in cricket matches. This new rule introduces the concept of a red card, which will be given to the fielding team if they are behind schedule at the start of the 20th over of the innings. As a result, one player from the fielding team will be eliminated, leaving only six players inside the fielding circle.
To ensure that the game progresses at an acceptable pace, specific time limits have been set for each over. The 17th over of the innings must be completed within 72 minutes and 15 seconds, the 18th over within 76 minutes and 30 seconds, the 19th over within 80 minutes and 45 seconds, and the final over within 85 minutes.
If the fielding team fails to meet the required over rate at the start of the 20th over, the captain must select one player to leave the field. This penalty aims to discourage teams from deliberately slowing down the game and adds an element of consequence for not maintaining the required pace. In addition to penalties for the fielding team, the batting team also faces consequences for wasting time. Initially, the umpires will issue a warning to the batsmen for their time-wasting tactics. However, if the behavior persists, a 5-run penalty will be imposed on the batting team.