The International Cricket Council has announced an all-female panel of match officials for the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, marking the third consecutive edition of the tournament to feature only women officials.The marquee tournament, scheduled to begin in England and Wales from June 12, will see 14 umpires and four match referees oversee 33 matches across the competition.Among the new inclusions are Candace La Borde, Gayathri Venugopalan, Kerrin Klaaste and Shathira Jakir Jesy, all of whom are set to make their Women’s T20 World Cup officiating debut this year.
Claire Polosak set for sixth Women’s T20 World Cup
Veteran Australian umpire Claire Polosak will once again headline the officiating panel as she prepares for her sixth Women’s T20 World Cup appearance.Polosak is the most experienced official in the group, having already stood in 22 matches at the tournament across previous editions. Fellow umpires Jacquline Williams and Kim Cotton are also set to reach a major milestone, with both gearing up for their fifth World Cup assignment after officiating in 19 matches each.Nine officials from the 2024 edition have retained their places in the latest panel, highlighting continuity and consistency in officiating standards at the global event.The four-member referee panel includes returning officials Shandre Fritz, GS Lakshmi and Michell Pereira, while New Zealand’s Trudy Anderson joins the group for the 2026 edition.ICC highlights commitment to representationICC CEO Sanjog Gupta said the panel reflected the governing body’s commitment towards increasing representation across all areas of the sport.“This panel of match officials for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 reflects the ICC’s commitment to expanding the scope of representation to all facets of the sport,” Gupta said in a statement.“The ICC takes into consideration a comprehensive, holistic, and evidence-based account while assessing its sports officials and their decision-making performance.“We are delighted to see the progress made by these officials and the elevated standards of officiating they demonstrated during ICC CWC 2025.”Gupta further added that the tournament is expected to become “the biggest women’s sporting event in the world”, with the officiating panel playing a crucial role in maintaining elite standards throughout the competition.The 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup in England and Wales is expected to be one of the biggest editions in the tournament’s history, with growing global interest in women’s cricket continuing to push the sport into new territory.ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 Match Officials:
- 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, Gayathri Venugopalan
- ICC International Panel of Match Referees: Trudy Anderson, Shandré Fritz, GS Lakshmi, Michell Pereira
