The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday announced an all-female line-up of officials for the upcoming Women’s ODI World Cup that is to be hosted in India and Sri Lanka. The ICC has said that this will be the first time in the history of the tournament that an edition will be officiated by an all-female panel.
The tournament begins with a clash between joint hosts India and Sri Lanka in Guwahati on September 30. “While three recent events – the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and the two most recent ICC Women’s T20 World Cups – have featured all-female match official panels, this is the first time in the history of the Women’s World Cup the feat will be achieved,” said the ICC.
The umpiring panel includes former India players Vrinda Rathi, N Janani and Gayathri Venugopalan. The first-ever female match referee GS Laksmi, also a former Indian cricketer, will be a part of the four-member match-referee panel. The troika of Claire Polosak, Jacqueline Williams and Sue Redfern are set to officiate in their third women’s World Cup event, the ICC said, adding that Lauren Agenbag and Kim Cotton will be at their second such event.
“The inclusion of an all-women panel of match officials is not only a major milestone but also a powerful reflection of the ICC’s unwavering commitment to advancing gender equity across cricket,” ICC Chairman Jay Shah said.
“This development goes beyond symbolic value. It is about visibility, opportunity, and the creation of meaningful role models who can inspire future generations.” Eight teams are competing in the tournament across five venues, including Colombo. The event will conclude on November 2.
Officials:
Match referees: Trudy Anderson, Shandre Fritz, GS Lakshmi, Michell Pereira.
Umpires: Lauren Agenbag, Candace la Borde, Kim Cotton, Sarah Dambanevana, Shathira Jakir Jesy, Kerrin Klaste, Janani N, Nimali Perera, Claire Polosak, Vrinda Rathi, Sue Redfern, Eloise Sheridan, Gayathri Venugopalan, Jacqueline Williams.
