In first of its kind move, the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday announced an all-13-member female panel of match officials for the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, slated for next month in South Africa. Of all the officials, the Indian trio of GS Lakshmi, Vrinda Rathi, and Janani Narayanan are also included. With the surge in the number of female officials in cricket across formats at different stages including at the Under-19, domestic, and the senior level, the implementation of this idea was just a step away. The announcement of the 13-member panel that includes three match referees and ten umpires is also part of ICC’s strategic ambition of advancing the involvement and visibility of women in cricket.
While out of these 13, seven members are picked to officiate on such a big stage for the first time, the Indian duo of Vrinda Rathi, and Janani Narayanan earlier made history by becoming the first female umpires to take part in the Ranji Trophy.
Commenting on this historic step taken by the cricket’s governing body, ICC’s General Manager Wasim Khan said considering the incredible rise of women’s cricket, this step was always around the corner. He added the body was keen on expanding women’s roles in each department in the game, and with the introduction of this step, they feel they have ticked the right box.
“Women’s cricket has been growing rapidly in recent years and as part of that, we have been building the pathways to ensure more women have the opportunity to officiate at the highest level.
“This announcement is a reflection of our intent in this space and just the start of our journey where men and women enjoy the same opportunities across our sport. We are committed to continuing to support our female match officials and provide opportunities to showcase their talents on the global stage,” Wasim Khan said.
During the 2020 Women’s T20 World Cup and the 50-over Women’s World Cup last year, eight women officials took part, whereas, in the ongoing Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup, the number increased to nine.
While the 34-year-old Claire Polosak will be the most experienced umpire at the tournament – officiating in her fourth World Cup, England’s Sue Redfern, West Indies’ Jacqueline Williams, and Kim Cotton of New Zealand will be involved in their third Women’s T20 World Cups. On the other hand, England’s 24-year-old Anna Haris will be the youngest female to officiate in her first major cricket tournament.
Here is the list of match officials at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 –
Match Referees: GS Lakshmi (India), Shandre Fritz (South Africa), Michell Pereira (Sri Lanka)
Umpires: Sue Redfern (England), Eloise Sheridan (Australia), Claire Polosak (Australia), Jacqueline Williams (West Indies), Kim Cotton (New Zealand), Lauren Agenbag (South Africa), Anna Harris (England), Vrinda Rathi (India), N Janani (India), Nimali Perera (Sri Lanka).
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