PSL 9: Hawk-Eye admits ‘human error’ after Islamabad’s loss

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday, confirmed that Hawk-Eye admitted to have made a human error during Islamabad United’s three-wicket loss to Quetta Gladiators on Thursday in the eighth match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 9.

Set to chase 139 runs, Gladiators were cruising comfortably towards the target when Rillie Rossouw attempted to sweep Agha Salman on the last ball of the 11th over.

However, he missed the ball completely as it thudded his pads, prompting a strong appeal from the fielding side and it was given out by on-field umpire Aleem Dar. However, Gladiators promptly reviewed it.

Hawk-Eye eventually determined not only that the ball had hit the Rillie Rossouw outside the line of the stumps, but that it would also have gone on to miss off stump.

Rossouw went on to carry his bat all the way through with an unbeaten 34 off 38 to guide his team to their third consecutive victory in the PSL 9.

Meanwhile, according to a statement, released by the PCB, the Hawk-Eye asserted that Gladiators captain Rossouw would have been out had the system correctly tracked the delivery in question for the Decision Review System (DRS).

“Hawk-Eye has admitted the system had correctly tracked the delivery in question for the Decision Review System (DRS), showing the impact as umpire’s call and wickets as hitting,” stated PCB.

“However, due to an operator error, incorrect ball tracking data was put to air, which meant an incorrect outcome was reached,” the statement added.

The only International Cricket Council’s (ICC) approved technology for ball tracking, being part of the DRS since 2008, also offered its regrets over the error.

“Had processes been followed as expected, this (correct ball tracking data) would have been available only a few seconds after the incorrect data was played on broadcast,” Hawk-Eye explained, while also offering its regrets.

After the game, Shadab Khan, the captain of Islamabad, made little attempt to conceal his frustrations. “I think technology made a mistake,” he said.

“The ball-tracking showed a different delivery, and it was a match-changing moment. These sorts of things should be sorted out properly in such a big tournament. These mistakes should not happen. I bowled four overs here as a legspinner, and I don’t think the ball was spinning here. And they showed Agha Salman’s delivery hitting outside off stump and spinning away. I don’t buy that.”