The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has developed a new technology during the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season to reduce the error element in height-related no-ball calls. Over the years, teams have suffered due to umpires' errors in decision-making. While they are humans and are bound to make unintentional mistakes once in a while, it becomes frustrating for teams when the rub of the green doesn't go their way in crunch situations. The BCCI team have been measuring the height of all the players in the IPL to their waist with a measuring tape. This data will then be fed into the system used by the hawk-eye operators, who sit with the third umpire (from this season) to judge reviews of waist-high full tosses.

Waist-high no-ball debates could end with new BCCI plan

Have you ever watched a cricket match and found yourself screaming at the TV because of a waist-high no-ball call? It's one of the most controversial decisions in cricket. The leg umpire has to determine the height of a full toss and declare it a no-ball if it crosses over the waist of the batter during their normal stance. But if there's any doubt, the third umpire is called upon to make the final decision. Unfortunately, some of the umpires' calls on waist-high no-balls over the years have caused quite a stir amongst players and fans alike.

"There are people in the BCCI's team who are measuring the height of all the players in the IPL till their waist, with a measuring tape. This data will then be fed into the system used by the hawk-eye operators, who sit with the third umpire (from this season) to judge reviews of waist-high full tosses. This data will help in judging the waist-high full toss to a particular batsman better," a BCCI source said.

This year, the BCCI has introduced a couple of new rules to make the IPL 2024 season even more intriguing. The introduction of the 'Smart Replay System' has made decision-making faster, more efficient, and more accurate. It is a new camera-based review system where eight high-speed Hawk-Eye cameras are positioned around the stadium. 

In addition, two Hawk-Eye cameras will be stationed alongside the TV umpire to offer real-time images and data for swift analysis. The TV broadcast director's role as an intermediary between the TV umpire and the Hawk-Eye operators has become obsolete. Also, the implementation of the second bouncer rule has been wholeheartedly welcomed by fans as well as experts as it enables a much better balance between bat and ball.