Xtra Time Web Desk: Trinbago Knight Rider’s Sunil Narine entered his name in the record books for all the wrong reason. The mystery spinner became the first ever cricketer to receive a Red Card during the Caribbean Premier League match against St Kitts & Nevis Patriots on Sunday.
The unprecedented incident occurred during the 19th over of the Patriots’ innings when the umpires determined that TKR had fallen behind in their over rate, imposing a rate penalty.
As the 20th over was about to begin, the umpire approached TKR’s captain, Keiron Pollard, and brandished the dreaded red card. This meant that TKR had to field with only 10 players for the final over of the Patriots’ innings, with just two fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle
Here is the video:
For those unfamiliar with the rule, the Red Card was introduced in this year’s CPL tournament to address over rate issues. It is issued to teams when umpires determine that they have fallen behind their required over rate by the start of the 20th over. The team captain must then choose a player who will be excluded from participating in the final six balls of the innings. Additionally, the batting team can also face penalties if they are found to be wasting time during the match. This incident adds a unique dimension to the CPL and emphasizes the importance of maintaining the required over rate in professional cricket matches.