The International Cricket Council has announced the all-female panel of match officials for the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, which will feature only female officials for the third consecutive edition of the tournament.14 umpires and four match referees will oversee the competition’s 33 matches in the marquee tournament starting June 12 in England and Wales.New additions include the likes of Candace LaBorde, Gayatri Venugopalan, Kiran Klaase and Shathira Jakar, all set to make their debuts in the Women’s T20 World Cup this year.
Claire Polosak Sixth Women’s T20 World Cup ready.
Veteran Australian umpire Claire Polosak will once again headline the officiating panel as she prepares to compete in her sixth Women’s T20 World Cup.Polosak is the most experienced official of the group, having already played 22 matches in the tournament in previous editions. Fellow umpires Jacqueline Williams and Kim Cotton are also set to reach a significant milestone, both preparing for their fifth World Cup assignments after umpiring in 19 matches.Nine officials from the 2024 edition have retained their places in the latest panel, highlighting continuity and consistency in performance standards at the global event.The four-member referee panel includes returning officials Shandre Fritz, GS Lakshmi and Michelle Pereira, while New Zealand’s Trudy Anderson is in the group for the 2026 edition.ICC Highlights commitment to representation.ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta said the panel reflects the governing body’s commitment to increasing representation across all disciplines of the game.“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 aspects of the game,” Gupta said in a statement.“The ICC takes into account a comprehensive, comprehensive and evidence-based account when evaluating the performance of its sports officials and their decision-making.“We are delighted to see the progress made by these officials and the high standard of their performance during the ICC CWC 2025.”Gupta added that the tournament is expected to become “the world’s premier women’s sporting event”, with the official panel playing a key 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 game into new territory.ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 Match Officials:
- ICC International Panel of Umpires: Lauren Egenbeg, Kim Cotton, Anna Harris, Shathira Jaeger-Jesse, Karen Klasse, Candice LaBorde, Janani Ann, Nimali Perera, Claire Polosak, Vrinda Rathi, Suzanne Redfern, Elvis Sheridan, Jacqueline Williams, Gayatri Venugopalan
- ICC International Panel of Match Referees: Trudy Anderson, Shandry Fritz, GS Lakshmi, Michelle Perera
