2 min readMar 6, 2026 05:29 PM IST
Defending champions India will take on New Zealand in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2026. The final of the tournament is on Sunday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday announced the umpires officiating the high-octane fixture. Richard Illingworth and Alex Wharf are named the on-field umpires for the game, with Allahuddien Paleker appointed the TV umpire. Adrian Holdstock and Andy Pycroft will pick up the fourth umpire and match referee duties, respectively.
“Illingworth will take charge of his second consecutive Men’s T20 World Cup Final, having stood alongside Chris Gaffaney in 2024,” quoted an ICC press release. “It continues Illingworth’s impressive recent record of appointments, having also stood in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 Final and the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 Final,” it further stated.
“He is joined by compatriot Wharf, who will oversee his first senior ICC World Cup Final. Wharf previously stood at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 and ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 events before he joined the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Umpires last year. The pair, who were together in the middle for New Zealand’s semi-final victory over South Africa on Wednesday, are supported by third umpire Allahuddien Paleker and fourth umpire Adrian Holdstock, while the match referee is Andy Pycroft,” the release further stated.
“South African Paleker was elevated to the Elite Panel of Umpires alongside Wharf in March 2025 and has stood in six matches during the tournament.”
India vs New Zealand T20 World Cup 2026 Final: Squads
India: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Sanju Samson, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishan Kishan, Rinku Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, Shivam Dube, Abhishek Sharma, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Tilak Varma.
New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (c), Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Cole McConchie Reserves: Ben Sears.
