Record Six Women Match-Officials Appointed for ICC Women’s T20 WC

ICC Women’s T20 World Cup will have six women match officials. 

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/ICC)

Nitin Memon is the lone Indian in the ICC's list of umpires for the upcoming Women's T20 World Cup in Australia, where an unprecedented six women will be in the match officials team for the tournament.

As announced earlier, India's GS Lakshmi will become the first woman match referee at a global ICC event. Lauren Agenbag, Kim Cotton, Claire Polosak, Sue Redfern and Jacqueline Williams are the women umpires named for the eight-team competition.

Williams will stand along with Shaun George in the high-profile tournament opener between Australia and India on 21 February, soon after becoming the first woman to officiate as a third umpire in a men's international cricket match, the ICC said in a release on Wednesday.

Polosak, who became the first female umpire to officiate in a men’s ODI last year, will pair with Menon in the game between former champions West Indies and first-timers Thailand on 22 February.

The fixture will also have Lakshmi officiate two months after becoming the first female match referee in a men's ODI.

“This is the largest compliment of women match officials at a single event, and the progress we have made is heartening...it is because of their skill set and hard work that they have graduated to the top level.”

Adrian Griffith, ICC Senior Manager, Umpires and Referees.

Emirates ICC Elite Panel Match Referee Chris Broad will be the senior-most match official at the event with Steve Bernard also a match referee. The other umpires at the tournament will be Gregory Brathwaite, Chris Brown, Ahsan Raza, Langton Rusere and Alex Wharf.

The appointments for the semi-finals will be announced at the end of the league stage and those for the final will be finalised after the semi-finals.