ICC confirms prohibition of smart watches during matches
Two of the Pakistan cricketers, Asad Shafiq and Babar Azam, appeared to be wearing smart watches during day-1 of the first at Lord’s on Thursday. An anti-corruption officer then ordered the Pakistan’s players to stop wearing them
“An ICC anti-corruption officer came to us and told us this is not allowed,” said Pakistan player Hasan Ali. “So next time nobody will wear them. I didn't know earlier that anyone was wearing one.”
The ICC had a prohibition of wearing Apple watches in any way connected to a phone or WiFi or capable of receiving communications. Following the incident in the England-Pakistan Test, the international governing body of cricket has now confirmed that “under the Player and Match Officials Area (PMOA) Regulations, smart watches are not permitted to be worn on the field and in areas designated as PMOA.”
“Communications devices are prohibited within the player and match officials’ area. No player is allowed to be in possession of or use a communications device which is connected to the internet whilst there," the ICC said in a statement.
“Smartwatches in any way connected to a phone or Wi-Fi or in any way capable of receiving communications are not allowed and as such we will be reminding players that such devices must be surrendered along with their mobile devices on arrival at the ground on match days.”
