ISLAMABAD: International Cricket Council (ICC) is set to shake up the Decision Review System (DRS) market by introducing a certification system that could pave the way for cost-effective alternatives to the expensive Hawk-Eye and Virtual Eye technologies, potentially revolutionising access to the game’s most crucial umpiring tool.
The proposal, which will be discussed at the ICC Annual Conference in Edinburgh from July 8 to 11, aims to break the duopoly currently held by UK-based Hawk-Eye Innovations and New Zealand-based Virtual Eye, whose services are widely perceived to be prohibitively expensive for many smaller boards and even franchise leagues.
With DRS costing approximately $10,000 (Rs 10 lakh) per day, the technology has remained out of reach for a significant portion of the cricketing world.
This could be a game changer for world cricket.
The ICC is exploring a DRS certification system that would allow more technology providers to become officially approved DRS suppliers.
Currently, only Hawk-Eye and Virtual Eye are approved, with DRS costing around US$10,000… pic.twitter.com/tEQsvHw8nv
— Ragav X (@ragav_x) July 4, 2026
New suppliers could enter the fray
A couple of Indian technology firms are understood to be developing more affordable DRS solutions and have already made presentations to the ICC, with several overseas companies also believed to be in the running.
If the ICC Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC) approves the proposed certification system, the governing body could open the door for new suppliers, dramatically lowering costs and expanding access.
“The ICC needs to ensure that DRS implementation undergoes a comprehensive assessment and testing process for both current DRS suppliers and potential suppliers. A DRS certification system will also be explored with a view to making cost-effective DRS options available that can serve the global game,” a source in the know explained.
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ICC is set to grant membership to the Mauritius Cricket Federation at their AGM meeting. 🇲🇺
It will become the ICC’s 111th member, joining 12 Full Members and 98 Associates. (Cricbuzz)
AGM is scheduled from July 8 to 11. pic.twitter.com/w5G25uEIva
— Clink (@ClinkWrites) July 4, 2026
Franchise league expansion and associate membership on agenda
The Annual Conference will also deliberate on whether to broaden the ICC’s remit to include domestic franchise leagues that fall outside the existing threshold of tournaments featuring more than four overseas players from Full Member nations.
The item is consistent with the ICC decision taken at the previous board meeting in Ahmedabad in May, where the Board expressed concern regarding the growing expanse of franchise cricket and resolved to form a committee to assess harmonisation with the international calendar.
International Cricket Council’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2026 to take place in Edinburgh from July 08th – 11th. #CzarsportzNews pic.twitter.com/UPDXUoSDmY
— Czarsportz Global | Associate Cricket News (@Emerging98) July 4, 2026
The world governing body is also expected to consider granting membership to the Mauritius Cricket Federation (MCF), which would become the ICC’s 111th member, currently comprising 12 Full Members and 98 Associate Members.
Elections for associate director positions
On July 8, elections will be held for the three Associate Member Director positions, with five candidates in the fray: Mubashir Usmani (UAE), Mahinda Vallipuram (Malaysia), Gurumurthy Palani (France), Rudie van Vuuren (Namibia), and Imran Khwaja (Singapore).
