Six Indians in ICC match officials’ list for World T20

Dubai, February 25

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Six Indians, including match referee Javagal Srinath, found a place in the ICC’s 31-strong Playing Control Team on Thursday for next month’s World Twenty20, which will also feature women match officials for the first time.

“The strong Playing Control Team includes all the seven and 12 members of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees and Elite Panel of ICC Umpires, respectively, as well as 10 members of the Emirates International Panel of ICC Umpires and two members of the ICC Associate and Affiliate Panel of International Umpires,” the ICC said in a statement.

Srinath will be the referee in the March 8 tournament- opener between Zimbabwe and Hong Kong in Nagpur. He will lead the Playing Control Team, which also includes Aleem Dar and Ian Gould as on-field umpires, Marais Erasmus as TV umpire and Richard Illingworth as fourth umpire.

The umpires’ panel for the March 8 to April 3 tournament includes two female umpires—New Zealand’s Kathleen Cross and Claire Polosak of Australia. The two were also involved in the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier in Thailand.

“Their appointments in the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 comes as the game’s governing body continues to place an important emphasis in recognising that cricket is a game for all, and hopes that this will inspire more women across the globe to become involved in officiating and participating in cricket.”

Cross will make history in Chennai on March 16 when she will become the first female umpire to officiate in the ICC World Twenty20 by umpiring in the women’s match featuring Pakistan and Bangladesh along with Anil Chaudhary.

Two days later, Polosak will make her debut at a global event when she will perform on-field duties along with Vineet Kulkarni in the New Zealand-Ireland women’s match in Mohali on March 18. — PTI