Watch: Historic Moment In CPL As Sunil Narine Walks Off The Field After Trinbago Knight Riders Get First Red Card

Sunil Narine, on Monday (August 28), became the first player in the history of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) to be shown a red card. In a desperate effort to combat poor over-rates issues in the game, the CPL introduced new playing conditions for this year’s CPL and WCPL.

According to the new rules, the teams need to finish the 17th over by 72 minutes 15 seconds. If they do not, fielding sides will be forced to bring a fifth fielder inside the 30-yard circle. Another delayed over would need them to bring a sixth fielder inside the circle.

And the most interesting penalty for the over-rate issue was for the failure to start the final over in time. In case, the bowling team fails to finish the 19th over by 80 minutes 45 seconds, one player must go off the field. As a result, the bowling team will have to bowl the crucial final over with just fielders outside the circle.

And Trinbago Knight Riders faced the penalty against the Patriots. Sunil Narine had to walk off the field after the umpire showed the Knight Riders the red card for failure to complete the 19th over in time. As a result, Dwayne Bravo had to bowl the final over with just 2 fielders outside the circle and Sherfane Rutherford made the most of it as he collected 18 runs from the over.

Watch the incident:

SENT OFF! The 1st ever red card in CPL history. Sunil Narine gets his marching orders ? #CPL23 #SKNPvTKR #RedCard #CricketPlayedLouder #BiggestPartyInSport pic.twitter.com/YU1NqdOgEX

— CPL T20 (@CPL) August 28, 2023

Trinbago Knight Riders win the game:

Fortunately for the Knight Riders, the red card and conceding 18 runs in the final over did not cost them the game. Asked to bat first, the Patriots scored 178 for 5 in the allotted 20 overs. Skipper Rutherford was the top-scorer for his side, smashing an unbeaten 62 off 38 balls with the help of 5 fours and 4 sixes. For the Knight Riders, Sunil Narine was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3 for 24 off his 4 overs.

With the bat, the Knight Riders chased down the target in just 17.1 overs thanks to a blazing fifty from Nicholas Pooran. The hard-hitting batsman scored 61 runs off just 32 balls with 4 sixes and 5 fours. Captain Kieron Pollard also played a fine unbeaten cameo of 37 runs from just 16 balls while hard-hitting allrounder Andre Russell played an unbeaten knock of 23 off 8 balls with 2 sixes and 2 fours.