Pakistan Cricket Board confirms no DRS for T20 series against Bangladesh

There will be no usage of DRS technology during the three-match T20 home series against Bangladesh, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Tuesday.

A reliable PCB source said due to the lack of interest in the series which begins Wednesday the Board had decided against having the DRS technology. “It is not cost effective for the board or broadcasters to have DRS technology in the series,” the source said.

Bangladesh are missing some key players due to various reasons including their experienced left arm pacer Mustafizur Rehman who injured his thumb while playing in the IPL.

A few Bangladesh players and members of the support staff have also opted out of the tour because of security concerns with Liton Das leading them in the three matches. Bangladesh reached Lahore after suffering an embarrassing 2-1 loss against UAE in Sharjah in a T20 series.

The PCB and broadcasters also didn`t have DRS technology for the second phase of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) which was held after the recent border conflict with India.

Pak vs Ban T20 series

With a new head coach in New Zealand`s Hesson, Pakistan are looking to younger players with the World Cup in India and Sri Lanka just eight months away. Star batsmen Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, and pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi, have all been axed. Salman Agha will lead the side, having lost a series in New Zealand 4-1 two months ago.

“We`ve been really clear around the style of play we want and then it`s about picking players that can do that,” Hesson, who coached New Zealand from 2012-2018, said. “We`ve got a good number of T20Is between now and the World Cup. “We will develop a depth of squad playing the way we want and the rankings will come in time because it is about the way we want to play.”

Bangladesh, ranked ninth, are in the same boat. They have won just four of their last 12 T20Is and lost series against lower-ranked United States (2024) and United Arab Emirates earlier this month. They also have a new coach in West Indian Phil Simmons, who will be missing senior players including Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan, Mohammad Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim, all either fully retired or from the T20Is. Besides Mustafizur, fast bowler Taskin Ahmed is nursing an injury while new pace sensation Nahid Rana withdrew from the tour over security fears following the cross-border conflict between India and Pakistan.

(With inputs from agencies)

This article first appeared on Mid Day