The Decision Review System (DRS), using ball-tracking and edge detection technology, will be implemented for the first time in a World Twenty20 event in this year’s women’s edition, beginning in the West Indies on Friday.
After the previous women’s World T20 editions, which coincided with the men’s, the International Cricket Council (ICC) had decided to make the event standalone from this year. This, the ICC believes, will give the tournament “its own identity and place in the international cricket calendar.”
The global cricket body is beefing up the coverage of the women’s game due to a growing demand for it. All the matches of this year’s World T20 will be broadcast live in more than 200 countries around the world.
“Seventy percent of cricket’s one billion plus fans said they wanted more coverage of the women’s game in the recent ICC global market research project,” the ICC said in a release.
“Building on the momentum from last year’s ICC [Women’s] Cricket World Cup which broke all viewership records with 180 million people watching the final, the coverage is part of the ICC’s commitment to accelerating the growth of the women’s game.”
Former India captain Anjum Chopra, former Australia player Lisa Sthalekar, leading cricket broadcaster Melanie Jones, former England captain Nasser Hussain, former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar and former West Indies bowler Ian Bishop among others will be part of a 14-member commentary team.
“Women’s cricket has improved by leaps and bounds and what we get to watch now is some very high quality cricket,” Anjum was quoted in the release.
“The ICC Women’s World Cup last year was huge in the way women’s cricket was broadcast and consumed, and it’s no surprise that we’re now seeing all 23 games of the ICC Women’s World T20 being broadcast live,” she said.
With increased exposure and all matches being broadcast live, said Hussain, the number of fans of the women’s game will only increase.
The event will be broadcast by Star Sports in India.