The Caribbean Premier League (CPL) often has exciting events, and Tuesday night was no exception. Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) and Barbados Royals faced off in an Eliminator match. Suddenly, a broken floodlight in Providence, Guyana, paused the game. Andre Russell, a TKR allrounder, later said on social media that his team was “cheated” of victory. This statement and the game’s messy ending led to intense debates about the match’s outcome.
Caribbean Premier League (CPL) – Floodlight Failure Throws Match Into Chaos
The Trinbago Knight Riders kicked off the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Eliminator batting first. By the second-to-last round, they had scored 168 for 3, with Andre Russell leading. Suddenly, the game had to pause. At 8:58 PM, half of the stadium’s floodlights went dark.
The players had to step off while the staff worked on the lights. Almost two hours passed. Near 10:51 PM, just a few moments before a shorter match’s deadline, the lights turned back on. Because of this delay, the match’s goal shifted significantly. Using the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method, the new target for Barbados Royals was to score 60 runs within five oncoming rounds.
Russell’s Outrage: “We Were Robbed”
Russell was frustrated. Batting at 20 when the lights went out, he didn’t hold back. The next day, he voiced his feelings on Instagram. He felt TKR got a raw deal because of the light malfunction and DLS method. He posted, “This light issue was crazy.” He was hinting at the time it took to fix the lights and the revised target. It seemed to him that TKR had been in control until the interruption. Russell thought it was unfair that unknown events pushed the game in favor of the Barbados Royals. He even doubted the new 60-run target from 30 balls, based on TKR’s prior dominance before the lights went out.
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Pollard Takes a Measured Approach
Russell expressed his gripes openly, but Trinbago Knight Riders’ captain, Kieron Pollard, approached losing differently. He was philosophical. After the game, Pollard expressed that all the teams knew the rules, the end-time, and what would happen if the lights didn’t come back. Pollard confessed that thoughts about playing under less than ideal light was a consideration but ultimately dismissed it as unsafe. He said, “If someone had been hurt… we all would have felt it deeply.” Pollard said, despite the unfortunate incident, he was set to follow the rules once the lights were back on. He also praised Royals’ David Miller for his excellent 17-ball 50. His contribution led the Royals smoothly past their new goal with four balls still left.
Royals’ Captain Powell Admits They “Got Lucky”
Rovman Powell, the captain of the Barbados Royals squad, didn’t deny that a bit of good fortune came into play during their surprising victory. Powell opened up after the match, revealing the team thought they had lost when the lights suddenly turned off. However, when the lights returned, everyone knew that the match was in their hands, Powell confessed. He also added getting 60 runs against five over didn’t really intimidate them, mainly because of Miller’s strong batting. Still, Powell felt for TKR, labeling their predicament as “unfortunate” but concluded by saying that luck can be fickle in the world of cricket.
What Caused the Floodlight Failure?
On Tuesday evening, news came from the Guyana Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sport, and also from Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL). It was about a blip in the floodlights. Based on what they said, a problem in an underground cable had turned off three lights. It was not just any cable; it fed power to one light. The stadium’s tech people got help from GPL. Two lights were back on pretty fast. The third one? Not so fast. It took more time. The disrupted cable was the culprit; it was burnt. They had to put in a new one. This made the stop longer, which cut short the five-over chase. This led to a fuss about the match’s outcome.
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Conclusion: Controversy Adds Another Chapter to CPL History
The Trinbago Knight Riders and Barbados Royals gave us a CPL Eliminator game to remember, not just for the play but for a surprising floodlight outage and the public outcry it ignited. Players had a lot to say like Andre Russell arguing his team was “robbed,” or Kieron Pollard taking a more level-headed stance, and finally, Rovman Powell admitting the Royals got lucky. Even with all this, the game was fair and square, following the rules. Amid some debate, the Barbados Royals walked away winners, ready for Qualifier 2. The drama of this game will surely be a hot topic in CPL discussions. Stay on top of all Caribbean Premier League developments by tuning into our regular updates as the tournament moves forward.
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