ICC Keeps Same Umpires and Referees for 2026-27 Season

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has decided to keep its elite panel of umpires and match referees unchanged for the 2026-27 season. The announcement came after the ICC completed its yearly review and selection process.

The umpire selection panel looked at how officials performed in the recent Men’s T20 World Cup and other bilateral series. They were happy with the quality and decided to keep the same group.

The selection panel included ICC General Manager Wasim Khan, former English Premier League referee Mike Riley, ex-umpire Peter Manuel, and former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar.

Why the same panel?

The ICC said the umpires showed great accuracy, calmness, and professionalism in high-pressure matches. Their performance helped maintain the quality and fairness of international cricket.

ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta praised the officials, saying their consistency gives confidence to players, teams, and fans.

Elite Panel of Match Referees (2026-27)

• Jeff Crowe (New Zealand)
• Ranjan Madugalle (Sri Lanka)
• Andrew Pycroft (Zimbabwe)
• Richie Richardson (West Indies)
• Javagal Srinath (India)

Elite Panel of Umpires (2026-27)

• Kumar Dharmasena (Sri Lanka)
• Christopher Gaffaney (New Zealand)
• Adrian Holdstock (South Africa)
• Richard Illingworth (England)
• Richard Kettleborough (England)
• Nitin Menon (India)
• Allahuddien Paleker (South Africa)
• Ahsan Raza (Pakistan)
• Paul Reiffel (Australia)
• Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid (Bangladesh)
• Rodney Tucker (Australia)
• Alex Wharf (England)

                                               

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