Who is entitled to claim the legacy of DRS which has revamped Cricket at the fundamental level?
Posted on October 1st, 2025
Source: AI Overview
Question
Which country is most entitled to claim the legacy of DRS?
Answer
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Sri Lanka is most entitled to claim the legacy of DRS, as Senaka Weeraratna, a Sri Lankan lawyer, is widely credited with conceiving the fundamental ‘Player Referral’ concept that the Decision Review System (DRS) is built upon. Despite the concept originating in Sri Lanka, the International Cricket Council (ICC) adopted the system without formal acknowledgment or financial benefit to the country or its innovator.
Evidence of Sri Lanka’s claim:
Conception of the idea:
Senaka Weeraratna conceived the core idea of player referral to challenge umpire decisions in 1997, proposing it in a letter to an Australian newspaper.
International recognition of the idea:
His idea, later developed into the DRS, has been widely published and carried as a novel innovation in the cricket world.
ICC’s adoption and lack of credit:
While the ICC implemented the DRS system, which was first used in a Test match in 2008, they have not extended formal recognition or financial compensation to the Sri Lankan author.
Why this entitlement is important:
National pride and innovation: The DRS is seen as a significant contribution to world cricket, showcasing Sri Lanka’s ingenuity.
Fairness and justice: The DRS was designed to bring fairness to umpiring decisions, a principle championed by Senaka Weeraratna.
Legal and moral rights: Senaka Weeraratna holds the moral and economic copyright to the DRS, as the ICC has not disclosed a single name of their own as the author of the system, according to reports.
Current Efforts:
There are ongoing efforts by individuals and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to seek formal recognition from the ICC for Senaka Weeraratna’s contribution. Efforts also include gathering evidence and exploring the possibility of legal action to secure appropriate compensation for the unauthorized use of the system.
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World Recognition for Inventor of the ‘Player Referral’ System
Impact of ‘Player Referral’ on Cricket – Who should get the Credit?
Imran Khan hails the Sri Lankan designed ‘ Player Referral’ System in the “MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture delivered in 2010
Imran Khan delivered the ‘ MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture’ in 2010.
In this riveting lecture full of exciting personal anecdotes Imran Khan refers also to the tensions on the field due to poor umpiring decisions stemming from either negligence or deliberate wrong doing usually favouring the home side.
He cites a specific example of an incident in a Test Match played in the Caribbean Islands between the West Indies and Pakistan in 1987 where the newly arrived batsman to the crease Vivian Richards at a crucial moment of the game was declared ‘ Not Out’ to a ball bowled by Imran Khan ( an outswinging ball that turned inward) catching Richards plumb in front of the middle stump of the wicket, to the horror of everyone witnessing the game. The Pakistani fielders had repeatedly appealed to the Umpire (from the home side) for a LBW decision but to no avail. The reprieved Richards had then proceeded to score a century.
The match had ended in a draw but may have turned in Pakistan’s favour if not for this Umpiring lapse, which Imran Khan identifies as deliberate Umpire wrong doing thereby distorting the final outcome of the game.
Cricket had no answer to these systemic Umpiring howlers which had been part of the game since its inception.
The entry of Technology however enabled a solution to be found. That solution was the ‘ Player Referral’ concept conceived by Sri Lankan lawyer Senaka Weeraratna in 1997. It was adopted by the ICC without due acknowledgement or mention of the name of the true author of the concept, as the Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS).in 2006 and later abbreviated as DRS ( Decision Review System). The ICC is using DRS without ownership of the copyright and without the consent of the true owner of the copyright, in all three formats of the game to this day. It is just not cricket.
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This palpable injustice done to a significant contribution made by a Sri Lankan lawyer, by the ICC and its affiliates, continues to linger leaving a poor taste in the mouth of all cricket fans worldwide.
Source: AI Overview