The meteoric rise of women’s cricket has once again been confirmed with the euphoria surrounding the second installment of the Women’s Premier League (WPL), which has seen its fair share of competitive matches in the cities of Bengaluru and Delhi. As the Bengaluru leg of the tournament drew to a close on March 4th, with a gripping encounter between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and UP Warriorz (UP), it was not the cricket but the technology associated with the game that became the day’s focal point.
An unforgettable moment unfolded during UP Warriorz’s batting innings. All seemed to be in their favor as they were pursuing Royal Challengers Bangalore’s target. In the seventh over, Chamari Athapaththu stood at the crease intending to execute a sweep shot to a delivery from Georgia Wareham. Unfortunately for Athapaththu, she failed to connect with the ball, which subsequently struck her on the pads. The on-field umpire, Vrinda Rathi, was quick to dismiss the lbw appeal from RCB. However, the refusal was challenged by RCB captain Smriti Mandhana, who resorted to the Decision Review System (DRS).
The replay on the field’s big screen initially suggested that the ball had pitched on the leg stump and appeared to be missing the stumps, aligning with the umpire’s initial call. Yet, in a baffling turn of events, the trajectory projected by ball tracking foresaw the ball striking the middle stump—this led to a reversal of the original decision, much to the pleasure of the RCB squad and their supporters; conversely, shock and disbelief rippled through the UP Warriorz camp.
Alyssa Healy, the captain of UPW, watched from the non-striker’s end as disbelief etched across her face. She was heard uttering in astonishment to the umpire, “No way”, voicing the shared incredulity that resonated in the stadium. John Lewis, UP Warriorz’s coach, was visibly upset by the critical event, expressing his discontent by scrutinizing the credibility of the technological aid immediately after the game.
In his post-match remarks, Lewis reflected critically upon the DRS decision, stating, “You watch the ball with the naked eye, and you think it might pitch in line, just maybe. Then you look at the ball rotating, and well, it’s rotating like a legspinner. There are not many legspinners that go towards that [other] side. It was a fascinating dismissal and a massive turning point for us in that game.”
Controversies surrounding ball tracking have recently become more recurrent, casting doubts on the system’s reliability. A similar incident occurred during the Test series between India and England, involving English batter Zak Crawley. This was not an isolated instance, as the Pakistan Super League (PSL) also experienced analogous inaccuracies. In the PSL, a glaring error by ball tracking in judging Rilee Rossouw’s dismissal was so apparent that an apology had to be issued by Hawk-Eye to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for admitting the fault.
These repeated infractions by technological systems meant to enhance the fairness of cricket decisions are now under intense scrutiny. As the vibrant bustle of the WPL captures audience attention worldwide, this latest episode adds fuel to an ongoing debate about the reliability of DRS, calling into question whether technology is truly the impartial adjudicator it was designed to be. Will the guardians of the game take the necessary steps to ensure the integrity of this tool and thereby the sport remains unblemished by error? As the WPL continues to break new ground for women’s cricket, ensuring the accuracy of decisions will be pivotal to upholding the spirit and competitive fairness of the game.
