In a groundbreaking move, the England women’s cricket team has embraced the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to gain a competitive edge in their team selections. Head coach Jon Lewis has revealed that the team is using AI technology provided by a London-based company, PSi, to analyze player matchups and aid in the crucial process of picking their playing eleven.
The innovative approach has already yielded positive results, with Lewis crediting the AI system for helping England win the T20 series against Australia during the Women’s Ashes last year. The technology has proven particularly valuable in situations where two in-form players with similar skills were vying for a spot in the team.
“We are able to run simulated teams versus the simulated opposition to give us an idea about how those teams may match up against each other,” Lewis explained. “I can send multiple different lineups to the company, and they run, I think it’s about 250,000 simulations per team that I send with all the different permutations that could happen through the game.”
The AI system’s capabilities extend beyond cricket, with Steve Borthwick, the England Rugby Union coach, also utilizing the same technology for his teams, including the Wigan Warriors rugby league team and the Wigan Athletic football club in the English Football League One.
Lewis highlighted a specific instance where the AI system played a crucial role in their selection process during the Ashes series against Australia. “There was one selection in particular last year. We saw a real strength in Australia, and we matched up our strength, our best bowlers, to that part of the game against Australia last year. That worked really, really well for us. That helped us win the T20 series in particular and that got us back in the Ashes.”
While acknowledging the value of AI in aiding selection decisions, Lewis emphasized that traditional methods of monitoring players’ preparations and using cricketing expertise remain essential. “Obviously, we’re on the ground with the people, and that’s probably the first thing that we look to in terms of selection, which people are playing well, we use our cricketing eye,” he said.
However, Lewis acknowledged the potential of AI to provide valuable insights, particularly in borderline selection decisions and player matchups. “It can help with selections, but my go-to would be to get your people right first, get them all in the right head space, get their games in order, and then use data to support around selection.”
As the use of AI continues to evolve in the world of sports, the England women’s cricket team’s embrace of this cutting-edge technology could pave the way for other teams to follow suit, ushering in a new era of data-driven decision-making and strategic player selections.
