TEST: ICC ANNOUNCE ALL-WOMEN EMIRATES ICC INTERNATIONAL PANEL OF MATCH OFFICIALS FOR WOMEN’S T20 WORLD CUP 2026
Media Release
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This is the third, consecutive appointment of an all-female Match Officials Panel for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup
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Four umpires promoted to make their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup debut as the tournament begins on 12 June in Edgbaston
Candace La Borde, Gayathri Venugopalan, Kerrin Klaaste and Shathira Jakir Jesy will make their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup umpiring debut in England and Wales next month.
As anticipation builds for what is set to be the biggest women’s sporting event in the world, the appointment of an all-female Emirates ICC International Panel of Match Officials for the third consecutive ICC Women’s T20 World Cup reflects both the remarkable growth of the women’s game and the ICC’s broader objective of showcasing excellence across every facet of the sport.
The increasing depth of high-performing female match officials in international cricket is a powerful marker of the sport’s progress, with the consistently high standards demonstrated in bilateral series and previous ICC women’s events underpinning these well-earned selections for the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026.
The quartet, who were also appointed for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, join a distinguished group of 14 umpires and four match referees who will oversee a record 33 fixtures at the expanded 10th edition of international cricket’s premier women’s T20 event, which gets underway on 12 June in Birmingham.
Nine members of the match officials’ team from the 2024 edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup will return, with Claire Polosak to stand in the middle at her sixth T20 World Cup. The Australian has officiated in 22 matches at the tournament to date, the most by any umpire.
Jacquline Williams and Kim Cotton, who have overseen 19 matches each on this stage, will reach the milestone of five T20 World Cups.
The match referees will feature three returning officials – Shandré Fritz, GS Lakshmi and Michell Pereira who were also part of the 2024 edition. The group of four referees will be completed by Trudy Anderson from New Zealand.
ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta said: “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.
“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.
“As we prepare to deliver what will be the biggest women’s sporting event in the world, this selection will serve to elevate the meaning associated with the athletic spectacle."
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 Emirates ICC International Panel of Match Officials:
Emirates 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
Emirates ICC International Panel of Match Referees: Trudy Anderson, Shandré Fritz, GS Lakshmi, Michell Pereira
ENDS