After losing the toss and being put in to bat, only Powell (33) and Nkrumah Bonner (41) managed to mount any kind of resistance as the Jamaica-based franchise was dismissed for 107. In response, Lendl Simmons’ 54 unbeaten and 44 undefeated from Tion Webster saw the rampaging Knight Riders cruise home with a 9-wicket win.
Even in a low-scoring tournament, the Tallawhas struggled at the crease for most of the tournament. The team scored under 120 on four occasions and over 150 on just three occasions.
“We have played a lot of inconsistent cricket. The batters didn’t stand up all season. We ask that our international batters bat most of the overs and we just did not do that,” Powell said after the game. On this occasion the Tallawahs found themselves four wickets down with only 24 runs on the board, coming out of the powerplay.
“The batters just didn’t come to the party. If we should look at it from a bowling perspective, I think our bowlers handled themselves very well. The international spinners did very well for us in the middle overs and even when we started the pace bowlers were good.”
The decision to drop the 27-year-old Hope, after his recent monumental struggles, has divided public opinion. While some believe the player could benefit from time away from the team to address potential confidence and technical issues, others believe the batsman would best be served staying within the system, even if he remains outside of the first team.
Rose, for his part, believes with the team currently in rebuilding mode, nothing will be gained from the talented player being pushed out of the squad at this point.
“They’re rebuilding, how are you going to get rid of the guy (Hope) when you are rebuilding. He’s one of the brightest talents,” Rose told the Mason and Guest radio program.
“West Indies cricket is rebuilding. You cannot chop and change while rebuilding. Shai Hope, one of the best talents in the Caribbean, you just drop him like that. I would have brought him on tour, got him to play a few of the practice games. Even if he doesn’t get to play Test matches. What cricket is he going to play now to get back his confidence?”
Lloyd, who led the West Indies to consecutive World Cup triumphs in 1975 and 1979, worked as a mentor for the Guyana Amazon Warriors, who lost to the Jamaica Tallawahs in qualifier 2 on Wednesday, throughout the season.
“It’s a mentoring role and I’m quite happy. I get to have a lot of chats with the young guys and so on,” said Lloyd on the Mason & Guest radio show on Tuesday.
From an individual perspective, “not many new names” was Lloyd’s response when asked about any standouts from this year’s edition. “The people that are making runs and taking wickets are established players,” he added before praising the overall level of cricket on display as well as the curators for the quality of the pitches being used.
“I think it has been quite good. We had quite a few good games in Guyana. I must commend the curators for the work they’ve put in on the pitches, they’ve played very well. The wickets have been good for stroke-play and the crowds have enjoyed it as well.”
“It’s been quite exciting and I’m sure that, in the future, it will continue to be that way,” he added.
Finally, when asked about advice he’d give to current West Indies skipper Nicholas Pooran ahead of the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, Lloyd was brief saying “I'm hoping that this captaincy thing is not restricting his play with the bat because he’s a real talent. Hopefully, he'll come good on those harder pitches.”
Due to the threat posed by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the entire 2020 edition of the tournament was held in Trinidad and Tobago, under strict COVID-19 protocols.
In several respects, the tournament was a success with the event successfully being delivered to a record audience of over 500 million. The Trinbago Knightriders were eventually crowned champions on their own patch.
St Kitts and Nevis’ Warner Park has been the scene of some of the most iconic matches in Hero CPL history. Fans were treated to Chris Gayle’s brilliant hundred against the Jamaica Tallawahs in 2019 and Andre Russell’s even more explosive century against the Trinbago Knight Riders in 2016. There have also been some amazing matches, not least the game that went to a Super Over finish between St Kitts & Nevis Patriots and the Knight Riders in 2019.
This year’s tournament takes on extra significance with it taking place in the lead up to the ICC T20 World Cup and both West Indies and overseas players will be using the opportunity to push for selection for their international teams.
“We are delighted to be able to announce that we will be having the Hero CPL in St Kitts & Nevis in 2021 and we would like to thank those involved in welcoming the tournament to this wonderful country,” Pete Russell, Hero CPL’s COO, said.
“As was demonstrated during the 2020 tournament the CPL is a massive boost for the host country with US$51.5million delivered in sponsorship value for Trinidad & Tobago. We are really looking forward to giving St Kitts & Nevis the exposure they deserve.”
Hales will join the Tallawahs once his commitments in England are completed.
Drakes hit the winning runs to cap off a superb finals performance, which saw the all-rounder end with an unbeaten 48 from 24 balls; in the process, sparking wild celebrations as the Patriots captured their first-ever CPL title.
In terms of momentum, the match had rocked back and forth in frantic fashion as the Kings set a target of 159 for 7. Drakes' innings proved crucial in deciding the thrilling encounter, which saw the team needing 9 off the final over and, in the end, managing to just creep over the line. He was, however, eager to spread the praise around.
“It was the first chance I got to play a full competition and I think I did well, but it was Ruthers (Sherfane Rutherford) and Bravo, Soldj (Sheldon Cottrell), and everyone on the team. It’s an amazing feeling,” the 23-year-old, who made his debut three years ago with the Barbados-based CPL franchise, said.
“I thought it was a great team effort and I was just happy to do my part for the win,” he added.
Overall, Drakes ended with 102 runs and a team-high 16 wickets in 11 matches.
The Amazon Warriors first posted 186-6 from their 20 overs after the Patriots won the toss and chose to field first.
All-rounder Keemo Paul followed up his 56 in their last game with an unbeaten 41 off 31 balls including one four and three sixes.
Shimron Hetmyer (36), Dwayne Pretorius (27) and Romario Shepherd with a rapid seven-ball 26 provided excellent contributions to the Amazon Warriors total.
Oshane Thomas continued his return to form this season with 3-26 from three overs.
The Patriots, who are now winless after seven games, could then muster only 88 off 17.1 overs in another awful batting performance.
Corbin Bosch scored the bulk of the runs with a run-a-ball 27.
Dwayne Pretorius was the star with the ball with 3-17 from three overs while West Indies left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie took 2-15 from four overs.
The Amazon Warriors are now top of the table with seven points from four games.
The Tallawahs won the toss and opted to field first and they produced a disciplined bowling performance to ensure the Amazon Warriors were restricted to 182/6. Azam Khan produced the star knock in the Amazon Warriors innings, his 54 at the back-end propelling Guyana to a competitive total.
The chase was always going to be a steep one for the Tallawahs and that equation became all the harder when they lost four wickets in the PowerPlay.
It was a position they never recovered from eventually succumbing to 101 all out.
The Amazon Warriors made a solid start in their batting PowerPlay, reaching 49 for the loss of one wicket. It could have been two but for the faintest of inside edges that saved Shai Hope from being dismissed lbw.
However, Saim Ayub departed for 20 immediately following the end of the PowerPlay, his miscued shot only finding Alex Hales at long on.
Hope and Shimron Hetmyer struggled to add some attacking impetus to the innings but just when it seemed they were ready to accelerate Hope was caught on the boundary for 40.
Hetmyer followed shortly afterwards for 31 – but Romario Shepherd and Azam Khan cashed in at the back end. Khan smashed a brutal 54 runs off 27 balls to give the Amazon Warriors momentum heading into the second half of the game.
If the Tallawahs were to chase the 183 to win, they needed a lightning start in the PowerPlay but they got the opposite of that.
Four wickets fell in the first six overs and the procession continued after the fielding restrictions had been lifted. All of the Guyanese bowlers got in on the act to ensure the Tallawahs were never in the contest.
Imad Wasim added a respectable unbeaten 43 but no one stayed with him as the Tallawahs were eventually bowled out for 101.
The Amazon Warriors victory means they will now contest their sixth Republic Bank CPL final where they will aim to win their first ever title.
The event was held on Tuesday evening at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, which will be the home of Antigua & Barbuda Falcons when they compete in the 2024 edition of the Republic Bank CPL – the Biggest Party in Sport.
Krishna (Kris) Persaud, Founder and President of WORLDWIDE Sports Management Group was thrilled as he showcased the new team’s name and the colorful and dynamic logo for the first time to excited guests. Mr. Persaud also expressed delight in having the team officially on board for the regional event, which attracts sold-out audiences for matches.
“We are brand new; we are here, we are ready … let’s get ready to play! The Antigua & Barbuda Falcons will bring a unique energy and vitality to the Republic Bank CPL. We are ready to fly high and conquer what is before us. We want to establish a winner’s culture within the team and also a culture of winning and success off the field – among every individual associated with this franchise and the amazing fans we will have at our special home base at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in lovely Antigua," Persaud said.
“What you are witnessing today as we unveil the Antigua & Barbuda Falcons, is something truly special and I want to thank the Government of Antigua & Barbuda, who have worked closely with us to bring the Antigua & Barbuda Falcons to life. Antigua is our home … this country has a rich cricket history, and the Antigua & Barbuda Falcons will create more great history on these shores. It is now time for the Falcons to fly high," he added.
Details on the overall structure of the Antigua & Barbuda Falcons and the coaching and management staff for the team will be announced at a later date.
The 2024 Republic Bank CPL will take place from August 28 to October 6 with games taking place in Antigua for the first time in 10 years. The final will once again take place in Guyana at The National Stadium in Providence. The tournament will also plans to have matches in Barbados, Guyana, St Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago. Once again, the window for the CPL will not clash with West Indies fixtures, so the best Caribbean talent will be on show at the Biggest Party in Sport.
Jeff Miller, CEO and General Manager of the Franchise was delighted at its return.
“Welcome back Antigua & Barbuda! This is where the ‘party’ in cricket started, and we are delighted to be back for this exciting event. We plan to have a full house for every match with our Antigua & Barbuda Falcons on show. This is what we have been waiting for. It will be amazing to see the Sir Vivian Richard Stadium packed and our lovely super fans enjoying the action and the atmosphere, as well as seeing great cricket on the field, the non-stop party in the stands and all the festivities that come with cricket in the West Indies," he said.
The Kris Persaud-owned Antigua and Barbuda Falcons were earlier this year announced as the latest addition to the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), replacing Jamaica Tallawahs for the upcoming edition of the T20 tournament, which gets under way later this month.
“We are also making a pitch as well, the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons, to have our own women’s team next year, 2025, and also to host the Women’s Premier League right here in Antigua and Barbuda. So, it’s not just about the men but a combination of making sure that others benefit, and, like Sir Viv [Richards] said, everybody has to come on board,” Springer said.
The women’s Caribbean Premier League, which started in 2022, has only fielded three teams—Barbados Royals, Guyana Amazon Warriors, and Trinbago Knight Riders—over the years. As such, the addition of a Falcons women’s outfit would be a welcome addition to the tournament.
On that note, Springer added that there will be opportunities for players in general to benefit from the franchise being based in Antigua and Barbuda.
“The Leeward Islands Hurricanes will be in Antigua and Barbuda. In fact, they will start training here to prepare for the Super50. So that is a next opportunity for young players in Antigua and Barbuda and around the region to make sure that we now have the Leeward Islands Hurricanes franchise, the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons, and you have Cricket West Indies headquarters, which is based here,” Springer reasoned.
This year’s 12th edition of the CPL is scheduled to begin on August 29, with Antigua and Barbuda Falcons taking on St. Kitts Nevis Patriots at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium. They will then face reigning champions Guyana Amazon Warriors a day later, also at the North Sound venue. Both matches will start at 7:00 pm.
The Falcons will then face Barbados Royals on September 30 at the same venue, starting at 10:00 am, before crossing swords with St. Lucia Kings on September 3 at 7:00 pm, also at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.
The Knight Riders, the tournament’s most successful franchise, did not make too many changes to the previous season’s roster. The team retained all of 11 players for this season’s CPL, set to run from August 18 to September 10.
The list includes Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Darren Bravo, Lendl Simmons, Khary Pierre, Amir Jangoo, Tion Webster, Akeal Hosein, and Muhammad Ali Khan. They have also signed 18-year-old West Indies under-19 medium-pacer Jayden Seales, as well as carrying back Australian Fawad Ahmed and New Zealand’s Colin Munro after they had stints away last season.
“I’m very pleased with the balance of the team, certainly the captain and selection committee would have done a wonderful job in having several discussions about the balance of the team based on the types of wickets we will have in Trinidad,” Borde told Trinidad and Tobago’s 7pmnews.
“Certainly, I must commend them for sticking with the core of players that have worked with us over the years and have built a nice tight unit, and also bringing back the likes of Ahmed and Munroe,” he added.
“The balance, experience, and togetherness in this team is going to be something that will take us over the line. We are confident that if we do all the things we need to do, do them consistently and have a bit of luck on the way, we will be competing for the title as well.”
Guyana Amazon Warriors won the toss and chose to field, but Barbados Royals would go on to score the joint-highest total of this season by reaching an imposing 195/5. Opener Rahkeem Cornwall starred in the innings, launching 11 sixes in his innings of 91, while Azam Khan supported with his own half-century.
The Warriors' hopes of a successful chase were derailed in the powerplay, as they lost four wickets, with Kyle Mayers and Ramon Simmonds proving effective with the ball. Despite the attempts of Shimron Hetmyer, it was not to be enough as the Warriors fell to 108 all out.
Barbados Royals had initially got off to a cautious start, but Cornwall would go on to play one of the most destructive innings seen this season, 91 runs from just 54 balls, to put the Royals into the ascendancy. After losing his wicket just nine runs short of a century to the bowling of Shakib Al Hasan, the responsibility of the innings fell on Khan, whose vital half-century would help his side to 195/5 by the end of the innings.
Guyana Amazon Warriors lost early wickets in their chase, in-form batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz departing in the first over, before a flurry of wickets fell that left the Warriors on 36-4 by the end of the powerplay. Simmonds excelled with his bowling, taking three key wickets, including that of captain Hetmyer, who was the Warriors highest scorer in the innings. In the end, the Warriors finished on 108 all out and will play in tomorrow night’s qualifier.
The surfaces at the recently concluded Caribbean Premier League (CPL) were at the centre of attention for most of the campaign. Many argued that the condition of the surface played a significant part in scores that were much lower than usual. In the end, the tournament was won by the home team, Trinbago Knight Riders who often did not seem to struggle on the surface. In fact, the Knight Riders ended with a perfect record. Also not finding fault with the surface, however, was the majority of the bowlers.
“I know we blame COVID for everything but this is not one of the things we should try to blame on COVID…we are making bowlers look 10 times as good as they are and especially in the spin department,” Roberts recently said on Antigua’s Good Morning Jojo Radio program.
The competition was held in unusual circumstances this season, with all the matches held in Trinidad and Tobago due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Roberts, however, still believes the pitches, notwithstanding, could be better prepared.
“You knew about three or four months ago that you’re going to have this tournament in Trinidad, one country, but you have two different facilities that you are going to play at so arrangements should be made to get all the pitches up to a certain standard,” he added.
“When I say all, I mean the entire square, because you can’t just use two pitches for the number of matches you are going to be playing on them.”
The Saint Lucia Kings won the toss and opted to field first, and they took full advantage of that decision with a disciplined bowling display.
The Tallawahs were never made to feel comfortable and but for some late order hitting from Mohammed Nabi they would have struggled to post a defendable total.
However, their 148 proved more than enough as the Tallawahs produced a fantastic display in the field.
Nabi followed up his fireworks with the bat with some exceptionally parsimonious bowling to lead the Tallawahs to victory.
Earlier, the Kings had restricted the Tallawahs to a paltry 29-2 in the PowerPlay as Matthew Forde and Alzarri Joseph bowled exceptional lengths.
The Kings continued to take wickets at regular intervals and when Kesrick Williams removed Chris Green for two the Tallawahs found themselves 115-/8. However, Nabi lead the counterattack following that dismissal and finished on 31 off 15 balls to ensure the Tallawahs had something to bowl at.
In reply, the Kings got off to a good start reaching 54-2 at the end of the PowerPlay but when Du Plessis was dismissed for 41 in the eighth over the Kings found themselves in a hole from which they couldn’t recover.
The Tallawahs bowling unit all played their part as the Kings folded for 115 and exited the competition.
The Tallawahs' victory now means that they will battle the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the second qualifier on Wednesday night to determine who will contest the Hero CPL final against the Barbados Royals.
Scores: Jamaica Tallawahs 148-8 (Brooks 47, Nabi 31*; Wiese 3-19, Joseph 2-31) beat Saint Lucia Kings 115 (Du Plessis 41, Joseph 28*; Nabi 3-10, Allen 3-28) by 33 runs.
The 37-year-old all-rounder announced his decision, in April, to join the Patriots after seven years with Trinbago Knight Riders, where he won four CPL titles. Ahead of requesting a trade to the eastern Caribbean team, Bravo had cited a desire to help mould a new generation of upcoming cricketers.
With the performance of some of the Patriot's younger players this season, the move might just have paid dividends. Opening batsman Evin Lewis has an astounding season to date, having racked up a record 420 runs so far, with Wednesday’s final still to be added to the tally. Sherfane Rutherford has also done well with the bat, tallying 237 runs in 10 games so far, with a number of eye-catching performances, while Dominic Drakes has featured prominently among the league’s top bowlers with 15 wickets to date.
“When I decided on making the move I said I wanted to challenge myself. I wanted to try and help the younger players in different teams. So to get to the finals, to see the way that Sherfane Rutherford played through the tournament and Evin, young Drakes, that gives me all the pleasure and I think I achieved what I wanted to achieve,” Bravo said, following the team’s semifinal win over the Guyana Amazon Warriors.
“I wanted to help build a team that could actually compete in the tournament and press on to try and win a trophy and we have one more game, it’s going to be a difficult game because the St Lucia Kings have been playing well.”
The final will be the second for St Kitts and Nevis who also made the 2017 final where they lost to a Knight Rider team of which Bravo was a part.
The 47-year-old left-hander, who has played 164 Tests, 268 ODIs and 22 T20Is, scoring a total of 20,988 runs for the West Indies, will take charge of the team for the 2022 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
"Shivnarine has had an illustrious playing career and is one of the greats of the game. He has served West Indies cricket with distinction, and I know that he will take the Tallawahs to new heights," said Krishna Persaud, owner of the Jamaica Tallawahs.
For his part, Chanderpaul is excited to join the unit and hopes to lead the team back to winning ways.
"It’s an absolute honour to be appointed as the new Head Coach of the Jamaica Tallawahs and I am really looking forward to working with the players and support staff to bring another championship to Jamaica," Chanderpaul said.
Sir Curtly Ambrose has also joined the Jamaica Tallawahs support staff for Hero CPL 2022.
The legend, one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time with 405 Test wickets and another 225 in ODIs, will serve as the Tallawahs bowling coach.
“Sir Curtly brings a lot of technical expertise and experience to the Tallawahs and we look forward to having him with the team,” stated the Guyanese Businessman.
Jamaican Andre Coley has also been appointed assistant coach of the team.
Coley was a member of the inaugural management team at the High Performance Centre Programme based in Barbados from 2010 – 2013.
He was the former Head Coach of the Windward Islands Volcanoes first-class franchise between 2017-2019 and is currently the Head Coach of the Jamaica Scorpions first-class franchise from 2019 to the present.
“We are excited and welcome Chanderpaul, Sir Curtly and Coley to the Tallawahs family,” stated Jeff Miller, General Manager of the Tallawahs.
The Saint Lucia Kings reclaimed top spot in the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) with a dominant 90-run victory over the Barbados Royals at Kensington Oval on Saturday.
The Royals won the toss and opted to field first, but they were to run into Johnson Charles in imperious form. The opener blasted 78 and contributions at the back end saw the Kings post a healthy 195-6.
In reply, the Royals chase was over before it began as they lost the top five batters inside the PowerPlay. They never recovered from that huge setback and were eventually all out for 105.
Scores: St Lucia Kings 195-6 (20 overs); Barbados Royals 105 all out (17.3 overs)
The Kings got their innings off to a tremendous start led by the power of Johnson Charles.
Having reached 69/0 at the end of the PowerPlay the foundation was set for a huge total, and they were able to reach 97 before the loss of their first wicket, Colin Munro holing out to the deep square boundary for 33.
Sean Williams stay at the crease was a brief one but at the other end Charles continued to make hay. Only when Jason Holder returned in the 16th over did the Kings momentum get momentarily halted. Two wickets in the over saw the departure of Shadrack Descarte and Charles himself for 78.
However, quick-fire contributions at the death from Roshon Primus, Sikander Raza and Roston Chase ensured the Kings set an imposing total.
The Royals never got to grips with the chase and were effectively out of the contest by the end of the PowerPlay.
Alzarri Joseph, Matthew Forde and Roshon Primus were destroyers in chief as they ran through the top five batters to leave the Royals 40/5 at the end of the first six overs.
Despite a few big hits from the lower middle order the Royals suffered without a firm base to build from and eventually folded for 105 all out.
The victory for the Kings sent them back to the top of the table, while Barbados Royals will look to bounce back against St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in the last game of their home leg on Sunday at 6:00pm Jamaica time. Prior to that, Jamaica Tallawahs will battle Trinbago Knight Riders at 8:00am, while Barbados Royals women will lock horns with Guyana Amazon Warriors women at 1:30pm.
On Wednesday, the Knight Riders added the St Lucia Zouks to their growing list of victims, following a 6 wicket D/L win in the top of the table clash. On a historic day for one of the team’s top bowlers, Dwayne Bravo, the Tridents successfully chased down the Zouks’ rain-hampered 111 for 6.
With wins over the Barbados Tridents, Jamaica Tallawahs, and Guyana Amazon Warriors the Knights Riders have shown tremendous ability with both bat and ball.
“When you look at our squad, the core of the team. A couple of guys missed out and we got a couple to come in. But we have guys that want to perform and want that opportunity, the guys that are playing are very hungry,” Pollard said, following the game.
“Each and every person has an idea of what their role is. There is a lot clarity that is going on in the dressing room, so when guys get their opportunity, they know exactly what they need to do,” he added.
“Once we put those pieces of the puzzle together and everyone knows their strengths, more often than not if we play a proper game we are going to come out on top. Our strength is our teamwork and communication."
The Under-19s Schools T20 X-plosion will see the best cricketing talent from across Saint Lucia compete in T20 matches at the Gros Islet and La Ressource playing fields. The tournament will provide an invaluable opportunity for the young people of Saint Lucia to play competitive cricket in a friendly yet professional environment.
There will be eight teams, each one representing one of the educational districts across the country. The teams will be picked via draft from a list of players provided by PE teachers and coaches with each squad having 15 players.
The eight teams will be split into two groups of four with the top two teams from each group reaching the knockout stages.
The Honorable Kenson Casimir, Minister for Youth Development and Sports, said: “I am very happy as the Minister for Youth Development and Sports for Saint Lucia that CPL has seen it fit to have a T20 cricket competition amongst our schools in Saint Lucia. I am very elated that Saint Lucia will be the first Caribbean island to host this competition. I think it will auger well for the development of the sport. The Ministry continues to provide support through coaching and equipment to our schools. So, I am looking forward to a very exciting tournament right here in Saint Lucia.”
Pete Russell, CEO of the Caribbean Premier League, said: “We are delighted to partner with the Saint Lucia Kings and the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports to put on this fantastic tournament. There is so much cricketing talent across the Caribbean and it is vital that all stakeholders play their part in developing these young players and in doing so create a lifelong love of our wonderful sport. We wish all the young cricketers taking part all the best.”
Satish Menon, CEO of the Saint Lucia Kings, said: “It's our privilege to partner with the CPL and the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports for this tournament. We at the Saint Lucia Kings are excited to provide a platform for the incredible cricket talent here. Hopefully, this will provide a springboard for the young cricketers to take it to the next level.”
As is customary in the T20 format, each team will have 85 mins to bowl their overs, but this will be monitored more closely at this year’s tournament. The fielding side is expected to have completed the 17th over of the innings after 72’15, the 18th by 76’30 and the 19th by 80’45. 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 batting side where appropriate.
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 penalty for each instance of time wasting.
Michael Hall, CPL’s Tournament Operations Director, said: “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. It is the duty of those involved in cricket to ensure that the game keeps moving and we have sensitized 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.”
The 2023 CPL gets underway on Wednesday with defending champions, the Jamaica Tallawahs, facing the St. Lucia Kings.
