DRS based on the foundational concept of ‘ Player Referral’ is ultimately the product of a Sri Lankan legal mind
Posted on November 16th, 2025
AI Overview
Yes, the foundational concept of ‘Player Referral’, which is central to the Decision Review System (DRS) in cricket, was conceived by a Sri Lankan legal mind, Senaka Weeraratna.
In 1997, Senaka Weeraratna, a lawyer based in Colombo, first proposed the idea in a letter to an Australian newspaper, The Australian, and subsequently published it in various international journals and newspapers. He drew an analogy to the appellate function of the legal system, arguing that dissatisfied players should have the right to appeal an on-field umpire’s decision to a third umpire using modern technology like video replays to correct “manifest injustices”.
His concept was a radical challenge to the long-standing tradition that the umpire’s decision was final. The International Cricket Council (ICC) later developed and implemented this idea, first testing the system in a Test match between Sri Lanka and India in 2008 and officially launching it in 2009.
Despite his foundational and ground breaking contribution, Weeraratna has not received formal acknowledgment or recognition from the ICC, a point of ongoing debate and contention within the cricketing world. The review system has since been adopted by other major world sports, including international football (via VAR and goal-line technology) and tennis (Hawk-Eye challenges).
Furthermore, Sri Lankan cricket institutions (SLC), global scale cricket personalities such as Kumar Sangakkara, Arjuna Ranatunga, Muttiah Muralidharan, Mahela Jayawardena, Sanath Jayasuriya among others, and even professional bodies like the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), despite clear evidence of a Sri Lankan foundation in DRS, have failed to secure official recognition nor have they made a sincere credible effort to do so in the national interest.
- Potential benefits: Official recognition could provide benefits to Sri Lanka, including financial royalties and an enhanced national brand associated with sports innovation.
see
Shenali Waduge
Is Eershiyawa” (Jealousy) blocking Senaka Weeraratna and Sri Lanka from gaining credit for the invention of DRS?
Lorenz Pereira
Michael Roberts
The Inventor of the Decision Review System (DRS)
” Senaka Weeraratna’s vision was the catalyst for a transformation that has redefined cricket’s decision-making process. His contribution goes beyond an individual achievement—it marks a historical turning point in sports technology and fair play.“
Courtesy: AI Overview