The International Cricket Council (ICC) has released the list of 15 match officials for the Champions Trophy 2025, which will begin on February 19 in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates. Notably, no Indian umpire is included in the lineup.
According to details published on the ICC’s website, the Champions Trophy 2025 will take place from February 19 to March 9 in Pakistan and the UAE. Pakistan will host the matches, which will be played under a hybrid model in Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Dubai.
Twelve umpires will officiate in the tournament, which is often referred to as a “mini World Cup,” and three officials will serve as match referees.
12-Member Panel of Umpires
The ICC’s 12-member panel of umpires includes Kumar Dharmasena, Russel Giffney, Michael Gough, Adrian Holdstock, Richard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough, Ahsan Raza, Paul Reiffel, Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, Rodney Tucker, Alex Wharf, and Joel Wilson. Additionally, David Boon, Ranjan Madugalle, and Andrew Pycroft will serve as match referees.
Match Officials for Pakistan’s Matchs
The ICC has also announced match officials for Pakistan’s group-stage matches. According to the ICC, Richard Kettleborough and Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid will be the on-field umpires for Pakistan’s first match against New Zealand, with Joel Wilson as the TV umpire and Andrew Pycroft as the match referee.
For the much-anticipated Pakistan-India clash, Paul Reiffel and Richard Illingworth will serve as on-field umpires, Michael Gough will be the TV umpire, and David Boon will act as the match referee.
In the Pakistan vs. Bangladesh match, Michael Gough and Adrian Holdstock will be the on-field umpires, Paul Reiffel will serve as the TV umpire, and David Boon will be the match referee.
ICC Senior Manager Sean Easey expressed his satisfaction with the announcement of an exceptionally skilled team of match officials for the Champions Trophy 2025. He emphasized that the ICC always strives to appoint the best and most suitable officials for major events and is confident that this group will perform exceptionally well in the matches held in Pakistan and the UAE.
It is worth noting that on December 24, 2024, the ICC announced the schedule for the Champions Trophy 2025, which will be hosted under a hybrid model in Pakistan and the UAE.
India had refused to travel to Pakistan for the tournament, which is why all of India’s matches will be played in the UAE. In the event that India reaches the final, one of the semi-finals and the final will also be held in Dubai.
Champions Trophy Returns After 8 Years – First ICC Tournament in Pakistan in 3 Decades!
The opening match will be played between Pakistan and New Zealand on February 19 in Karachi, while arch-rivals Pakistan and India will face off on February 23 in Dubai.
The Champions Trophy 2025 is being held again as a tournament after nearly eight years. This is also the first time in 30 years that an ICC tournament has taken place on Pakistani soil.
The last ICC tournament hosted in Pakistan was the 1996 World Cup. Since then, no ICC event has been held in the country due to security concerns. The 2008 Champions Trophy was originally scheduled to be held in Pakistan, but due to a wave of terrorism, the tournament was relocated to South Africa.
In 2017, Pakistan won the Champions Trophy for the first time by defeating India in the final. As a result, Pakistan has been the defending champion for the past eight years.
