Women's T20 World Cup 2026: ICC unveils all-female official panel
What's the story
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced an all-female panel of match officials for the impending Women's T20 World Cup. This marks the third consecutive edition of the tournament to feature such a panel. The 12-team tournament will be held in England and Wales from June 12. Candace La Borde, Gayathri Venugopalan, Kerrin Klaaste, and Shathira Jakir Jesy will make their tournament debuts during this year's championship.
Representation focus
ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta on the development
ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta emphasized the organization's dedication to broadening representation across all aspects of the sport. He said, "The ICC takes into consideration a comprehensive, holistic, and evidence-based account while assessing its sports officials and their decision-making performance." Gupta also expressed delight at the progress made by these officials during the ICC ODI World Cup 2025 and their improved standards of officiating.
Official lineup
A look at the tournament's umpires
The panel for the 2026 Women's T20 World Cup comprises 14 umpires and four match referees. They will be in charge of 33 fixtures. Nine members from the match officials' team that officiated at the 2024 edition of this tournament will return for this year's event. Australian official Claire Polosak is the most experienced among them. She is preparing for her sixth appearance after standing in 22 matches.
Referee details
Match referees for the event
The match referees for the ICC upcoming tournament include three returning officials from the 2024 edition - Shandre Fritz, GS Lakshmi, and Michell Pereira. They will be joined by New Zealand's Trudy Anderson to complete a four-member panel. The inclusion of these experienced referees further highlights the ICC's commitment to maintaining high standards in officiating at this prestigious women's sporting event.
List
Match officials: Full list as per ICC
Emirates ICC International Panel of Umpires: Lauren Agenbag, Kim Cotton, Anna Harris, Shathira Jakir Jesy, Kerrin Klaaste, Candace La Borde, Janani N, Nimali Perera, Claire Polosak, Vrinda Rathi, Suzanne Redfern, Eloise Sheridan, Jacquline Williams, and Gayathri Venugopalan. Emirates ICC International Panel of Match Referees: Trudy Anderson, Shandré Fritz, GS Lakshmi, and Michell Pereira.