The International Cricket Council (ICC) has unveiled the 20 match officials who will oversee the league stage of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.
For the upcoming ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 in India, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has assembled a formidable team of 20 match officials responsible for overseeing the league stage. This contingent includes 16 accomplished umpires and four experienced match referees. Notably, 12 of these officials are drawn from the esteemed Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires, showcasing the highest caliber of officiating talent from around the globe.
These distinguished umpires are Christopher Gaffaney (New Zealand), Kumar Dharmasena (Sri Lanka), Marais Erasmus (South Africa), Michael Gough (England), Nitin Menon (India), Paul Reiffel (Australia), Richard Illingworth (England), Richard Kettleborough (England), Rodney Tucker (Australia), Joel Wilson (West Indies), Ahsan Raza (Pakistan), and Adrian Holdstock (South Africa).
The ICC Emerging Umpire Panel will contribute four officials to the tournament, namely Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid (Bangladesh), Paul Wilson (Australia), Alex Wharf (England), and Chris Brown (New Zealand).
ICC will later unveil the officials for the semi-finals and final as the tournament progresses.
Among this seasoned group, three umpires who officiated in the 2019 Cricket World Cup final – Dharmasena, Erasmus, and Tucker – will be returning for the 2023 edition. However, Aleem Dar, another umpire from that memorable final, will be absent this time as he stepped down from the Elite Panel in March of this year.
In contrast, the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees for the upcoming event comprises former international players, namely Jeff Crowe (New Zealand), Andy Pycroft (Zimbabwe), Richie Richardson (West Indies), and Javagal Srinath (India).
The officials for the tournament opener on October 5 between England and New Zealand have also been announced. Nitin Menon and Kumar Dharmasena will serve as on-field umpires, while Paul Wilson will take on the role of TV umpire, and Sharfuddoula will act as the fourth umpire. Andy Pycroft will assume the position of match referee.
Sean Easey, ICC Senior Manager for Umpires and Referees, expresses confidence in this officiating team’s capability to excel in the global event.
“We are pleased to announce the match officials who will be officiating at the biggest ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup ever. This group is the very best from around the world and we believe that they are ready to perform what will be a challenging job with the eyes of the global cricketing community focussed on every decision. We are confident that they will do an excellent job and wish them all the best of luck for what will surely be a World Cup to remember,” Easey said.
Wasim Khan, the ICC General Manager for Cricket, expressed his confidence that the officiating team assembled for the World Cup possesses the necessary expertise, experience, and world-class standards required for an event of this magnitude. He highlighted the significance of having high-performing individuals at all levels to ensure the tournament’s success.
Khan also welcomed the presence of ICC Emerging Panel members, acknowledging their valuable contribution to the event’s officiating staff.
“The ICC Cricket Operations department takes great pride and effort in operating a robust and meritocratic selection procedure with the help of our Member Boards. We are pleased that four members of the ICC Emerging Umpire Panel have earned the opportunity to be part of this showcase event and we wish them, and all the other match officials involved all the very best for the tournament”, Khan expressed.
Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena, Marais Erasmus, Chris Gaffaney, Michael Gough, Adrian Holdstock, Richard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough, Nitin Menon, Ahsan Raza, Paul Reiffel, Sharfuddoula Ibne Shaid, Rod Tucker, Alex Wharf, Joel Wilson, Chris Brown, and Paul Wilson.
Match Referees: Jeff Crowe, Andy Pycroft, Richie Richardson and Javagal Srinath
Last Updated on September 8, 2023
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