Synopsis
The ICC has announced the umpires and match referees for the 2025 ICC Men’s Champions Trophy, set to occur from February 19 to March 9 in Pakistan and the UAE. The tournament will see top teams compete in 15 matches across four venues.Key Takeaways
- 12 umpires and 3 match referees appointed for the 2025 ICC Men’s Champions Trophy.
- The tournament will occur in Pakistan and the UAE.
- Matches will be held in Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Dubai.
- Pakistan enters as the defending champion.
- The tournament runs from February 19 to March 9.
New Delhi, Feb 5 (NationPress) The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Wednesday a lineup of 12 umpires and three match referees designated as officials for the 2025 ICC Men’s Champions Trophy, occurring from February 19 to March 9 in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.
The event will be held across four venues: Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi in Pakistan, alongside Dubai in the UAE. The ICC stated that a prominent group of 12 umpires will oversee the eight-team tournament, with six of them returning after serving in the 2017 edition.
This includes Richard Kettleborough, who officiated the final match of the previous Champions Trophy in the UK in 2017. Kettleborough, who has officiated 108 Men’s ODIs, will be joined by umpires Chris Gaffaney, Kumar Dharmasena, Richard Illingworth, Paul Reiffel, and Rod Tucker, all of whom also officiated during the 2017 tournament, which was won by Pakistan.
Dharmasena will continue his streak of officiating 132 ODIs at the upcoming tournament, marking a record for an umpire from Sri Lanka in ODIs. Kettleborough and Illingworth, who officiated together at the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup final in Ahmedabad, will be joined by Michael Gough, Adrian Holdstock, Ahsan Raza, Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, Alex Wharf, and Joel Wilson - all of whom were part of the mega event in India.
The match referees panel for the 2025 Champions Trophy will be headed by David Boon, Ranjan Madugalle, and Andrew Pycroft, all esteemed members of the ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees. Boon officiated in the 2017 Champions Trophy final between India and Pakistan, Madugalle returns after officiating the 2013 final between India and England, and Pycroft was also part of the 2017 tournament.
“We are delighted to announce this highly qualified team of match officials for the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025. Their combined expertise and experience will be crucial in ensuring the tournament proceeds seamlessly,” stated Sean Easey, ICC Senior Manager – Umpires and Referees.
The two-week competition will showcase the top eight teams in 15 matches over 19 days. Group A consists of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and New Zealand, while Group B features Afghanistan, England, Australia, and South Africa.
As defending champions, hosts Pakistan will commence their campaign against New Zealand in Karachi on February 19, following their victory in the title match in 2017 held in England.
This tournament marks the first global cricket competition hosted by Pakistan since the Men’s ODI World Cup in 1996. The most successful teams in the Champions Trophy history are India and Australia, each having won it twice.
Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena, Chris Gaffaney, Michael Gough, Adrian Holdstock, Richard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough, Ahsan Raza, Paul Reiffel, Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, Rodney Tucker, Alex Wharf, Joel Wilson.
Match Referees: David Boon, Ranjan Madugalle, Andrew Pycroft.
