‘Not sure if you should have reviews without proper system’

No Hawk-eye ball tracking, no snickometer and no DRS in the ninth edition of the BPL pointed to a failure of the logistical nature. For two days, the first match of the day produced low scores but while that responsibility also lay with the batting sides, who has not heard of tired wickets at Mirpur over the past few years?

Although the BPL could not manage DRS, they attempted something called Alternate Decision Review System based on the third-umpire. However, Netherlands bowler Paul Van Meekeren, plying his trade for Khulna Tigers this season, was perplexed by the presence of a review system which was not the DRS.

In a dull game played in overcast conditions, Yasir Ali-led Khulna managed just 113 for eight as Dhaka Dominators' bowlers used the conditions to good effect. Dhaka began their chase of 114 looking solid but the most eye-catching phase of the match came when all the players converged around the umpires due to a leg-before decision given to Soumya Sarkar off spinner Nasum Ahmed.

Gazi Sohel was the on-field umpire who raised his finger and Soumya reviewed the decision immediately.

What transpired afterwards was dubious. The third-umpire David Millns did not see anything wrong with the on-field umpire's decision and stayed with the original decision. Soumya, left utterly disappointed by this series of events, stood his ground without leaving.

It also appeared from the replays that the ball had hit his gloves. The on-field umpire was in communication with the third-umpire again and the decision was overturned, leaving Tamim Iqbal in the opposition utterly perplexed and players crowding the umpire.

After the six-wicket loss, Van Meekeren came to the press conference and had a few choice words for the alternate DRS.

"He [Soumya] was given out, then given out again after a review and then not out. Personally, I am not sure if you should have reviews if there is no proper system like Hawk-eye. But it is what it is," Meekeren began when asked about the most remarkable facet of the match.

"I think it will provide more confusion than clarity if we use it the way we are doing so at the moment. I think we should respect the umpire's decision. But I was at long-on, so I don't know what was said or what was happening. But obviously, our guys were not happy because he (Soumya) is a dangerous player. But we had to move on," he said, trying to perhaps play down the effect of the decision.

"I wasn't really aware we had a review system, and then when I watched the game last night there was a review for caught behind, but there was no snicko, it was just on the camera. So, especially for very thin edges, it's so hard if there is no technology. I am not in control of that," he added.

"It's very disappointing. It's why you get the DRS system to get rid of mistakes in the game. In the UK, we don't use DRS in the domestic leagues," he said.

Where does that leave the BCB in terms of having accountability in terms of decisions on the field? If a player has to stand his ground, it opens the door for confusion and further disappointment. The board had a time frame for when they could hold the BPL and that slot was determined at least six months before. Not organising adequate logistics was a negative. Putting on-field umpires prone to more controversy, puts the game in a difficult position. But it is BPL and it is what it is.