Indian Officials Feature Prominently in ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 Panel

London, May 2026 : India’s Janani N, Vrinda Rathi and Gayathri Venugopalan have been named among the umpires for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, while veteran official GS Lakshmi has been appointed as one of the match referees for the prestigious tournament scheduled to begin on June 12 in Birmingham.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced an all-female panel of match officials for the third consecutive edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup. The tournament will feature 14 umpires and four match referees overseeing 33 matches in the 12-team competition, highlighting the growing role of women officials in international cricket.

Among the newly selected officials, Gayathri Venugopalan will make her Women’s T20 World Cup debut as an umpire alongside Candace La Borde, Kerrin Klaaste and Shathira Jakir Jesy. The ICC described the selections as a reflection of the increasing depth and quality of female match officials in world cricket.

In an official statement, the ICC said the consistently high standards demonstrated by women officials in bilateral series and previous ICC women’s tournaments had contributed significantly to their selection for the 2026 event.

A large section of the officiating panel returns from the 2024 edition, ensuring continuity and experience at the global tournament. Nine officials who were part of the previous Women’s T20 World Cup have retained their places for the 2026 edition.

Australia’s Claire Polosak is set to create another milestone as she prepares to officiate in her sixth Women’s T20 World Cup. Polosak has already stood in 22 matches in the tournament, the highest by any umpire in the competition’s history.

Meanwhile, Jacquline Williams and Kim Cotton are set to reach the milestone of officiating in five Women’s T20 World Cups, having already handled 19 matches each in previous editions.

Among match referees, GS Lakshmi returns to the global tournament alongside Shandré Fritz and Michell Pereira, while New Zealand’s Trudy Anderson joins the panel for the upcoming edition.

ICC Chief Executive Officer Sanjog Gupta said the selection of the match officials reflects the organisation’s commitment to greater representation and inclusivity across all aspects of the sport.

“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,” Gupta said.

He added that the ICC follows a comprehensive and evidence-based process while assessing the performance and decision-making standards of officials. Gupta also praised the growth and consistency shown by the selected officials during recent international tournaments, including the ICC Cricket World Cup 2025.

“We are delighted to see the progress made by these officials and the elevated standards of officiating they demonstrated during ICC events. As we prepare to deliver what will be the biggest women’s sporting event in the world, this selection further enhances the significance of the tournament,” he said.

The 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup is expected to be one of the biggest editions of the tournament, with increasing global attention on women’s cricket and growing recognition for female officials on the international stage.