The cricket season is back with a bang with the ICC Champions Trophy due to kick off on Thursday and Intel is hoping to score big with some new innovations to the sport.
With drones, Internet of Things, and Virtual Reality advancements, Intel and the International Cricket Council are hoping to deliver the first smart cricket tournament.
The first of the announcements is a cricket bat that has an Intel Curie module attached to it.
The device, created by Speculur and called Speculur BatSense, uses the Intel Curie module mounted on the bat to generate data from every stroke that the batsman plays. This means that the batsman can see data on things like back-lift, bat speed, and follow-through.
The device, which will be launched globally in August this year, will be used during the event by several batsmen.
Read more: Virtual reality, the future of sport: NBA live streams as the NFL and Premier League play catch up
Speculur Managing Director Atul Srivastava said: “Speculur BatSense with Intel Inside has the potential to transform cricket across a varied audience from coaches to aspiring self-taught cricketers.”
“Coaches can use their insights and expertise along with the bat sensor data to make specific adjustments to a batsman’s technique ultimately helping him perform better.”
The device is expected to cost around $150 and will be available for cricketers of all abilities to use as they can use the associated app to analyse their play.
In addition to the smart cricket bat, Intel is to deploy its Falcon 8 Drones during the Champions Trophy. 
The drone is equipped with HD and infrared cameras and will be used for advanced pitch analysis before every match. Broadcasters will be able to see the health of the pitch and gain insights into things like whether it will spin or seam.
If that’s not enough cricket innovation for you then Intel has one more trick up its sleeve.
The company is also going to be showcasing Virtual Reality tech at special zones in The Oval and Edgbaston stadiums. Fans will be able to use a head mounted display to test their skills against a virtual bowler.
