The Caribbean Premier League (CPL) has provided an official explanation for the power failure that interrupted the Eliminator match between the Barbados Royals and the Trinbago Knight Riders on October 1.
The incident occurred at 8:58 p.m., when all three floodlight towers on the eastern side of the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, experienced a loss of power. At the time, 19.1 overs of the Knight Riders’ innings had been completed.Within 30 minutes, two of the three towers were restored.
However, on-field umpires Deighton Butler and Nigel Duguid determined that the lighting levels were still inadequate and unsafe for play to continue. Despite this, both teams were given the option to proceed under reduced lighting conditions.
While the Barbados Royals expressed their willingness to resume, the Trinbago Knight Riders declined, citing safety concerns, a decision fully within their rights given the umpires’ assessment.An initial cut-off time of 10:52 p.m. for the start of a minimum five-over innings, necessary to constitute a match, was communicated to broadcasters.
This was later extended to 11:01 p.m. to account for the interval between innings that had been overlooked.Power was fully restored to the third floodlight tower at 10:51 p.m., and after allowing time for the lamps to reach full brightness, match officials decided to restart the game at 11:01 p.m., ensuring that a result could be determined on the field.
The ICC-approved Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method, which is used in interrupted matches, set a revised target of 60 runs for the Barbados Royals from five overs.
CWI senior match referee Reon King, who oversaw the match, explained that CPL playing conditions allow for an additional hour to be added before overs are deducted, with floodlight failures treated in the same manner as rain interruptions.
He emphasized that while player safety remains the top priority, efforts are made to achieve a result on the field whenever possible, a principle that guided the decision-making process during the match.
