CPL 2023: We Are Like The Pawns: Kieron Pollard Slams Red-Card Rule As His Team Concedes 18 Runs In The Final Over

Kieron Pollard, on Monday (August 28), led his team Trinbago Knight Riders to their first win of the ongoing season of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). The Knight Riders’ first game of CPL 2023 was washed out before they suffered a heavy 54-run loss against St Lucia Kings in their second game.

But on Monday, the Kieron Pollard-led side registered an impressive 6-wicket win over St Kitts and Nevis Patriots to open their account in CPL 2023. Asked to bat first, the Patriots rode on their skipper Sherfane Rutherford’s unbeaten fifty to score a competitive total of 178/5 in the allotted 20 overs.

The Patriots were reeling at 86 for 4 in the 12th over before Rutherford’s fine knock helped them recover and post a big total. The Patriots skipper scored an unbeaten 62 off 38 balls with the help of 4 fours and 5 sixes. For the Knight Riders, veteran spinner Sunil Narine was the pick of the bowlers. The 35-year-old picked up 3 wickets for 24 runs off his 4 overs.

In reply, the Knight Riders chased down the total in just 17.1 overs thanks to Nicholas Pooran’s fifty and whirlwind unbeaten cameos from Kieron Pollard and Andre Russell. Pooran scored 61 off 32 balls to lay the foundation for the chase before Kieron Pollard and Andre Russell took the team home. The Knight Riders skipper smashed 37 off just 16 balls while Russell scored 23 off just 8 balls.

Kieron Pollard angry:

While Kieron Pollard led his team to the first win of the tournament, he was not entirely happy and the reason was the red card his team received for slow over-rate. History was created in the game as the Knight Riders became the first team in the CPL to receive a red card.

As per the rules, the bowling teams will have to send one fielder outside the field if they fail to start the final over in time. The Knight Riders failed to maintain the over-rate and were shown a red card by the umpire. Kieron Pollard had then no option but to send one fielder off the field and he chose Sunil Narine who had already completed his overs.

With just two fielders outside the circle in the final over, Dwayne Bravo ended up conceding 18 runs. Fortunately for the Knight Riders, they managed to win the game. However, Kieron Pollard was not at all happy with how things had unfolded.

“To be honest, it will take away the hard work everyone has done,” Pollard said after the game. “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 penalized for 30-45 seconds in a tournament like this, it is absolutely ridiculous.”