How Does Hawk-Eye Technology Work in Cricket?

Cricket has evolved a lot in the last couple of decades. The gentleman’s game is one of the few sports that adopts new technology quickly.

One such technology that has been in use for a long time in cricket is Hawk-Eye technology.

Now what is Hawk-Eye technology? And how does it work?

Here, in this article, I will unveil the details of Hawk-Eye technology.

Hawk-Eye Technology in Cricket

Hawk-Eye is a ball-tracking technology used in cricket for the purpose of tracking the trajectory of the cricket ball. The technology tries to determine how a ball would have travelled after pitching on the ground.

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How Does the Hawk-Eye Technology Work?

To determine the ball’s trajectory, the Hawk-Eye technology uses 6 cameras placed around the ground and tracks the ball’s path when it’s released from the bowler’s hand. All the footage from the 6 cameras is sent to a computer that generates a 3D image of the ball’s path and provides the ball tracking footage.

And all this happens in real time as the match progresses. Crazy, isn’t it?

The ball tracking footage then helps in determining the path of the ball, showing whether the ball would have hit the stumps or completely missed them. This technology has made the third umpire’s task easier, as there is less chance of a batter being adjudged LBW wrongfully.

Apart from its usage in LBW decisions, Hawk-Eye technology can be used for generating a map that shows where a bowler has bowled on the pitch. It also helps measure the ball’s speed once it’s released from the bowler’s hand.