Hawk-Eye Technology Debuts in IPL to Determine No-Balls for Height
The Indian Premier League (IPL) has introduced a new Hawk-Eye technology to objectively determine no-balls for height, eliminating the subjective element in umpiring decisions. This technology made its debut during Virat Kohli’s dismissal in Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) chase against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens on Sunday.
Kohli was dismissed for 18 off 7 balls, caught and bowled off a high full toss from Harshit Rana in the third over. The delivery appeared to be dipping on the batter, even though it was above the waist height when Kohli made contact with it.
The TV umpire, Michael Gough, checked the legality of the delivery using the Hawk-Eye ball tracking technology. The technology revealed that the ball would have passed the batter at 0.92 meters from the ground if he was upright at the crease. Kohli’s waist height has been measured at 1.04 meters, which means the ball would have passed below his waist had he been on his crease, making it a legal delivery.
Kohli expressed his dissatisfaction with the decision, arguing that it should have been a no-ball for height. However, the technology confirmed that the delivery was within the legal limits.
The IPL has implemented this technology to remove the subjectivity in adjudicating no-balls above the waist. The system measures the height of the ball as it passes the batter at the popping crease and compares it to the toe-to-waist height of the batter when in an upright position. If the ball is higher than the batter’s waist, it is declared a no-ball.
In Kohli’s case, the projected trajectory of the ball would have taken it 0.12 meters below his waist had he been upright on his crease. Therefore, the delivery was deemed legal.
The introduction of Hawk-Eye technology for no-ball height determination is a significant step towards improving the accuracy and consistency of umpiring decisions in the IPL. It eliminates the potential for human error and ensures that batters are not unfairly dismissed due to subjective interpretations of the rules.
