04/27/2026
"Statement from QPCL — Semi-Final 2: What Actually Happened"
The QPCL is aware of public posts, screenshots, and commentary circulating in the cricket community regarding Semi-Final 2 by the DINS Cricket Club (DINS Cricket Club vs Montreal Lions, 25 April 2026). Much of what is being shared is incomplete, out of sequence, or simply incorrect.
The league is now placing the full account on the record, with the umpires' official match report and the formal written decision attached. The facts speak for themselves.
1. Indoor cricket in this league is played within a fixed time frame.
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Every match — regular season, semi-final, and final — is played inside a 4-hour indoor dome slot. The dome's lighting and shutdown are controlled by dome management, not the league. This has been the published condition of the league from day one. Every team that registered, including DINS, accepted these conditions before round one.
2. Over reductions are not new. They are league practice.
Over reductions to fit the slot have been applied throughout this season:
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Semi-Final 1 (Montreal Hurricanes vs Toronto Panthers) — overs reduced. Both teams accepted the umpires' ruling and played the match to completion.
Multiple regular-season fixtures — overs reduced. All clubs played without on-field protest.
There was nothing unprecedented or improvised about the over reduction in Semi-Final 2. It was the same practice that has run through the entire season.
3. The league funded the umpires and provided the match balls for the playoffs.
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For both Semi-Finals and the Final, the league directly paid for the on-field umpires and provided the match balls. This was done specifically to ensure professional, neutral officiating at the playoff stage. Manas and Harish officiated Semi-Final 2 in this capacity. They were league-appointed, league-paid neutral officials — not aligned with either team.
4. What actually happened at Semi-Final 2.
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Per the umpires' official written report:
The dome was occupied by a third-party booking until 2:45 PM. Play began at 2:49 PM. Both teams played under the same delayed start.
First innings: DINS 130/4. Second innings: Montreal Lions 163/7. Lions led on first innings by 33 runs. Both innings completed in full.
After the second innings, the umpires recalculated remaining slot time and ruled that the back half of the match would be 12 overs per side - the same kind of revision applied earlier in the season, Semi-Final 1 and Final.
DINS Cricket Club refused to take the field for approximately 28 minutes.
To preserve the match, the umpires further reduced overs to 11 per side. DINS then played, scoring 96/7.
Before the fourth innings, DINS delayed proceedings by a further 15 to 17 minutes.
At 6:37 PM, the dome lights were turned off by dome management as the slot wound down.
The match was abandoned.
The 28-minute refusal to play is the central fact of this match. It is documented in the umpires' report. It has not been denied.
5. The decision process.
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After the match, the league did not act unilaterally. League management consulted two independent neutral umpires to review the on-field umpires' report before issuing any decision. A formal written decision was then sent to both clubs, grounded in:
Law 16.3 — Refusal to Play. A captain who refuses to play forfeits the match to the other side.
Law 41 — Unfair Play. Deliberate time-wasting is misconduct subject to penalty.
The match was awarded to Montreal Lions.
6. The proper channel was, and is, open.
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Any club that disagrees with a league decision has the right to file a written protest to management. This is the established, fair channel. It exists for exactly this kind of situation.
📎 Attached:
Screenshot of Official umpires' match report
Formal written decision issued to both clubs (privately but had to be disclosed unfortunately)
Closing
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The Final was played as scheduled. Montreal Lions are the QPCL champions.
This is the only public statement the league will issue on this matter. The league will not engage in further public debate, will not respond to comments, and will not discuss disciplinary measures publicly. The proper channel remains open if any club wishes to use it.
QPCL Management
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