DRS at the First Women's Andhra Premier League: The Same Standard as the Men's Game

DRS at the First Women’s Andhra Premier League: The Same Standard as the Men’s Game

The first-ever Women’s Andhra Premier League (WAPL) was played from 19 to 27 September 2026 at the ACA Mangalagiri International Cricket Stadium, and 3rd-Eye.TV was proud to deliver the Decision Review System (DRS) and ball-tracking technology for the season. The Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) launched WAPL to give women cricketers in Andhra Pradesh a professional stage of their own. From the very first match, that stage came with professional officiating too.

The same DRS as the men’s game, with nothing scaled down

WAPL ran on the same 3rd-Eye.TV DRS system, with the same trained operators, that we use at men’s state T20 leagues. There was no lighter “women’s edition” with fewer cameras or a smaller review scope. That matters because a review system is only as fair as the evidence it captures. If a women’s league gets fewer camera angles, close LBW and edge decisions are judged on less information than the same decisions in the men’s game. The setup at Mangalagiri included ball tracking for LBW decisions, Sound Sense for detecting faint edges, synchronised high-speed cameras for run-outs, stumpings and catches, automatic front-foot no-ball detection, and a dedicated third-umpire replay room run by our operators.

Every player could review from day one

DRS was live from the opening match, not introduced partway through the season or saved for the knockouts. A player in the first group game had exactly the same right to challenge a decision as a player in the final. For umpires, it meant technology was there to back every big call. A marginal LBW or a thin edge could be checked properly instead of being decided on a single look in real time. For players, it meant one wrong decision didn’t have to decide a match.

Why this matters for women’s cricket

State women’s leagues are where players build the records that selectors watch. A wrong LBW or a missed edge can change a player’s numbers, a team’s result and a season’s selection conversation. Using the same review technology for women’s and men’s matches makes outcomes fairer, gives umpires more experience working with DRS, and gives broadcasters and fans the same review moments they know from top-level cricket. WAPL shows this standard is practical at state-league level, not only in international or franchise cricket.

Congratulations to the first WAPL champions

Rayalaseema Xen Stars are the first-ever WAPL champions after a brilliant win over Godavari Golden Eagles in the final. Congratulations to both teams on a season that sets the benchmark for the league’s future. A big thank you to the Andhra Cricket Association for launching WAPL and for trusting 3rd-Eye.TV with this milestone season. We look forward to supporting many more seasons of women’s cricket in Andhra Pradesh.

Planning a women’s league?

If your association is launching a women’s league or raising the standard of an existing one, 3rd-Eye.TV provides the complete DRS setup: cameras, ball tracking, Sound Sense, the third-umpire room and the trained operators to run it on match days. Get in touch with our team to talk about your next season.

Frequently asked questions

Was DRS used at the Women’s Andhra Premier League? Yes. 3rd-Eye.TV provided DRS and ball-tracking technology for the first WAPL season, played from 19 to 27 September 2026 in Mangalagiri. Was it the same DRS used in men’s state leagues? Yes. WAPL used the same DRS system and trained operators as men’s state T20 leagues, with no reduction in cameras or review scope. Who won the first Women’s Andhra Premier League? Rayalaseema Xen Stars won the first WAPL, beating Godavari Golden Eagles in the final.

DRS at the First Women's Andhra Premier League: The Same Standard as the Men's Game