- May 23, 2025
Just picture it: a last-over thriller in the PSL with a thick edge flying to the keeper, the umpire says not out, and the fielding captain is staring blankly at the big screen. No DRS. No review. No second chance. Now the PSL is facing those very uncertainties in 2025. With the business end of the tournament in full swing, one central player is by the Decision Review System. Whether this is due to border tensions or a logistical mess is besides the point, but fans and players alike are coming to terms with not having access to a resource we have come to rely on. The big question – can the PSL get itself out of a tight spot in knockout cricket without the safety net of a DRS?
Why PSL 2025 Is Flying Blind – And How We Got Here
Let’s rewind for context. The PSL was still using the standard DRS setup – even with some Hawk-Eye magic – available until May 7, when the tournament got stopped for rising India-Pakistan tensions. After the break, there was no Hawk-Eye team. Immigration issue? Scheduling mistake? Really unfortunate luck? Who knows? Still, there’s been no DRS in PSL 2025 since things kicked off again.
This isn’t just missing a couple of cameras. DRS is no longer an optional add-on feature. It has become part of the normal fabric of serious cricket. Bat-pad nicks, marginal LBWs, etc., all benefit from DRS, and most umpires can’t offer that clarity in real time. It is meaningful clarity when team reputations (plus some serious cash) are on the line. Instead, we have the umpires back in the crosshairs, and fans biting their fingernails just a little bit harder.
Surprisingly Smooth (So Far), But What If It Isn’t?
Here’s the twist: since the restart, we have had five games with no major controversies, no incendiary howlers, no players having meltdowns, and no argument from the sidelines. Just good old-fashioned cricket drama. Circumstantial evidence suggests we may be lucky regarding the absence of the DRS if attendance records are anything to go by – but are we really lucky?
Let’s be frank: we have been lucky. It only takes one edge in an Eliminator or one baseless LBW in the final to spark problems. The margin between correct and incorrect decisions, given the outcome and importance strategies, is slanted through its sharp edges. Especially when a missed bad decision ends a team’s chance, or when players must ‘optimistically’ tolerate an umpire’s call, not necessarily what they want.
Finals, Frustration & The Bigger Picture
With Quetta Gladiators already in the final and Lahore and Karachi still tussling for a spot, the pressure was undoubtedly on. That’s exactly why this DRS void matters so much now. PSL’s image has certainly been growing outside of Pakistan, and deservedly so with its thrilling matches, emerging players, and smooth productions. However, the lack of DRS in its biggest matches may damage that image.
On top of this, with clashes against Pakistan’s home series with Bangladesh, it increased disruption of matches, altered travel plans, and formed a monstrous mess and, most importantly, logistically disappointed. Understandable? Perhaps. Avoidable? Absolutely. So with that being the concern, is it a cautionary tale of further mistakes, or does it merely force the league to adjust its plans, however mildly?
The PSL 2025 shows it can exist devoid of DRS, but whether it should have to is a different question. As fans, we desire equitable and sound processes, particularly at boiling points. Granted, we have not chased controversy yet, but finals are a completely different case. One blank piece of lackadaisicalurchin becomes the headline no one wanted. So here’s the question – in the advent of techno everywhere, should a vexing T20 league, from the onset, find itself blind?
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