After PSL, Indian cricket board also to use DRS in IPL

NEW DELHI: Following successful adoption of the Decision Review System in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), the organizers of the Indian Premier League (IPL) have also decided to feature the DRS for the first time in the league.

It’s been ten years to the IPL inception when its first edition was played in 2008, but the DRS was not adopted in any of the seasons of the league. In 2017, the PSL announced to use the umpire decision review system for its third edition in 2018 after umpires were reportedly scrutinised for making poor on-field judgements multiple times in the previous tournament.

The DRS allows teams to question the on-field umpire’s decision.

Under the system, both sides are allowed a limited number of unsuccessful challenges before they are barred from requesting a referral for the remainder of an innings.

But, in order to not delay the game, they must make it clear within a matter of seconds of the umpire’s original verdict whether they wish to call on DRS.

IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla confirmed that the technology will be used when the eleventh edition of the tournament gets underway next month.

“Yes, this idea has been going around for many years,” Shukla told reporters, according to the Press Trust of India news agency.

DRS is used by match officials to check umpires’ decisions, using slow-motion replays, microphones and thermal imaging.

India resisted the technology for years but finally adopted it in 2016, becoming the last Test nation to do so.

In the upcoming IPL, which runs from April 7 to May 27, each team will get one review per innings.

DRS was first used officially in Test matches in 2009, but the International Cricket Council only introduced it for Twenty20 internationals in October.

Similar technology is used in several sports including tennis, rugby and football, where it will be used at this year’s FIFA World Cup in Russia.