DRS unavailable as PCB 'fails to rope in ICC-approved operators in time'

The upcoming One-Day International (ODI) series between Pakistan and New Zealand will not be counted towards the ICC Super League fixtures because of the unavailability of the Decision Review System (DRS), a requirement in the event playing conditions .

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed on Saturday that the upcoming ODI series will be a bilateral affair, instead of being a part of the ICC Super League.

"PCB and New Zealand Cricket have mutually agreed to change the status of next week’s ODI series to a bilateral series from the ICC Cricket World Cup Super League fixtures due to the non-availability of the DRS, a requirement in the event playing conditions," stated the cricket board in press release.

"As New Zealand will return to Pakistan in the 2022-23 season to play two Tests and three ODIs, the two boards have agreed that these 50-over matches will now count towards the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 qualification," added the PCB.

New Zealand are set to play three ODIs (September 17, 19, 21) in Rawalpindi, and five Twenty20 internationals (September 25, 26, 29, October 1 and 3) in Lahore.

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While the statement did not provide any explanation for the unavailability of the DRS in such an important series, an official close to the matter told Business Recorder that it was because the board failed to rope in ICC-approved operators in time.

“While the DRS technology was available, the PCB failed to hire ICC-approved operators in time. Under new rules, only authorised operators can be hired for the ICC events, i.e., Super League and Test Championship fixtures,” the official said.

The official stated that reports suggesting that India hired DRS operators for the Indian Premier League (IPL) by offering four times the amount the PCB agreed to pay to them are mere speculations.

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“The operators were contract-bound to the Indian Premier League (IPL), which was originally scheduled in April-May and was then rescheduled for Sept-Oct because of the Covid-19 outbreak.

“Some of the operators were busy with the IPL, while others had been occupied with the India-England Test series that ended prematurely after the final Test was called off due to the virus fear,” the official added.

It added that the technology will not be used in the T20 league either, however, efforts are afoot to make it available for the two England T20s scheduled for October 14 and 15 next month.