PCB excludes Hot Spot for Proteas series to cut production costs

The Pakistan Cricket Board has decided not to include Hot Spot technology as part of the Decision Review System to be used during the two-Test series in the United Arab Emirates against South Africa.

According to The Daily Times, the production cost of the usage of DRS in the series is supposed to be borne by the broadcaster and, according to the terms of the deal between the PCB and Ten Sports, Hot Spot was not made mandatory, as it would have shot up the production costs.

Since the production cost was also included in the broadcasting rights fee, which means that the total cost owed by the broadcaster to the PCB is calculated after including production costs during the series, the inclusion of Hot Spot would have reduced the board's rights fee earnings by approximately 100,000 dollars, the report said.

Pakistan had used Hot Spot during the 2012 home series against England, during which the technology was in the spotlight after it failed to provide evidence on more than one occasion, the report added.

South African captain Graeme Smith said that not having hotspot is not something he is losing a huge amount of sleep over, adding that he was happy there was a part of DRS in the series because it was part of the modern game and should be embraced.