In IPL 2025, Hawk-Eye technology will be used to determine wide deliveries outside off stump and above the batter’s head. The decision was made by the IPL and shared with all ten captains during a meeting in Mumbai prior to the start of the March 22 season.
Wides that go over the head
According to sources at ESPNcricinfo, the technology utilized for detecting over-the-waist no-balls during the IPL 2024 season will now also be utilized for identifying over-the-head wides. The ball-tracking feature of Hawk-Eye will measure the ball’s height as it crosses the batter at the popping crease, and this measurement will be compared to the pre-recorded upright height of the batter from toe to head. If the ball’s height exceeds that of the batter’s recorded head height, it will be deemed a wide.
The players’ head heights will be recorded in the database, removing the need for any subjective judgments in the decision-making process. Instead, an automated system will handle the measurements.
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This season, the IPL has eliminated the subjective aspect of determining wides by implementing a new rule. The wide guideline, typically displayed in blue, will now follow the batter’s movements. Therefore, if a right-handed batter steps one foot to their right outside off stump, the wide guideline will shift accordingly and serve as a reference for calling a wide.
The automated Hawk-Eye technology will determine the distance moved by the batter as well as the guideline. The TV umpire will have access to this information on their screen and can make a decision on whether it is deemed a wide ball, depending on where it pitched in relation to the adjusted guideline. These measurements will not be displayed on TV and will only be accessible to the TV umpire. The white-marked return crease will remain stationary and the new system cannot be used to judge leg-side wides.
For several years, the IPL has been a leader in utilizing technology for decision-making. In 2023, after successfully testing the system in the WPL, they implemented it as part of the two DRS reviews in IPL matches, making it the first time this had been done in T20 cricket. The IPL also made history last year as the first league to utilize ball-tracking technology for determining over-the-waist no-balls.
The Smart Replay System, introduced in IPL 2024, will once again enhance decision-making accuracy and efficiency this season.
