The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the use of the Smart Replay System in the upcoming Women's T20 World Cup 2024, which is set to begin on Thursday, October 3rd, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Due to ongoing anti-government protests, the tournament was relocated from its original host country, Bangladesh.
Smart Replay System in T20 World Cup 2024
The ICC Women's T20 World Cup will mark the first-ever ICC event to utilise the Smart Replay System. This advanced technology, which was successfully implemented in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 and The Hundred 2024, is expected to enhance the accuracy and speed of decision-making by umpires.
In a statement, the governing body revealed that a minimum of 28 cameras will be deployed in each match, alongside various analytical and visual enhancements. In addition to the Smart Replay System, the ICC has also announced the availability of Decision Review System (DRS). This technology, in conjunction with Hawk-Eye, will empower umpires to make precise and accurate decisions during the tournament.
"The coverage will feature a minimum of 28 cameras at every game and will be complemented by a variety of analytical and visual enhancements. The Decision Review System (DRS) will also be available at all matches, with a Hawk-eye Smart Replay in place that enables the TV umpire to instantly review synchronized multi-angle footage for accurate decision-making," ICC's official statement read.
The Smart Replay System in the Women's T20 World Cup 2024 will provide TV umpires with direct access to images captured by Hawk-Eye's eight high-speed cameras across the ground. Two Hawk-Eye operators, situated in the same room as the umpire, will provide real-time inputs, eliminating the need for the TV broadcast director as a middleman.
The Replay System will also enable TV umpires to refer to a wider range of visuals, including split-screen images. For stumping dismissals, umpires can request split-screen visuals from Hawk-Eye operators to assess the ball-bat interaction.
The UltraEdge technology will be utilized only when there is uncertainty about the ball-bat gap during stumping dismissals. If a clear gap is evident, the TV umpire will directly review the stumping without resorting to UltraEdge.
Umpires will now have the ability to access tri-vision footage, combining side-on and front-on camera angles in a single frame during stumping dismissals. Previously, umpires relied solely on side-on angles from both sides and the stump Cam.
In addition to the Smart Replay System, the Women's T20 World Cup 2024 will feature an all-female panel of umpires and match officials, marking a significant milestone in women's cricket.
