ICC Announces Match Officials for Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Group Stage

Dubai, Jan 2026 : The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday announced the list of match officials who will oversee the group-stage matches of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled to begin on February 7. A total of 24 umpires have been appointed as on-field officials, while six experienced referees will supervise matches during the opening phase of the tournament. Officials for the Super Eight and knockout stages will be named at a later date.

The opening match of the tournament between Pakistan and the Netherlands will be officiated by Kumar Dharmasena and Wayne Knights at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground in Colombo. The fixture will be a special milestone for Knights, as it marks his first appearance at an ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. For Dharmasena, however, the match adds to an already distinguished record at the global event.

A former Sri Lanka international and a member of the country’s 1996 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup-winning squad, Dharmasena has officiated in 37 matches across previous Men’s T20 World Cups. He has also stood as an umpire in the finals of the 2016 and 2022 editions, placing him fourth on the all-time list of most matches officiated in the tournament’s history.

Wayne Knights will reach another significant landmark during the group stage, as he officiates his 50th T20 International as an on-field umpire. On the opening day of the competition in Kolkata, Nitin Menon and Sam Nogajski will officiate the Group C clash between Scotland and the West Indies.

Menon continues to build an impressive résumé in major ICC events. He was part of the on-field umpire team for the first semi-final of the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup between Afghanistan and South Africa. Nogajski, meanwhile, officiated four group-stage matches at the previous edition, including India’s encounter against the USA.

Later on February 7, India will take on the USA in Mumbai, with Paul Reiffel and Rod Tucker appointed as the on-field umpires for the match. Tucker is the most experienced official in Men’s T20 World Cup history, having officiated in 46 matches so far. During the 2026 tournament, the Australian is set to reach the milestone of 50 matches officiated. In addition to the India–USA clash, Tucker will also officiate high-profile games such as England versus Nepal, India against Namibia, and South Africa versus the United Arab Emirates.

Another notable pairing will be seen on February 11, when Chris Gaffaney and Richard Illingworth reunite to officiate the Group B match between Australia and Ireland. The duo had previously worked together during the final of the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup. Illingworth will also share on-field duties with Dharmasena during the much-anticipated group-stage match between India and Pakistan in Colombo on February 15.

The ICC stated that the selection of officials reflects a balance of experience and emerging talent, ensuring high officiating standards throughout the tournament’s early stages.

Match Referees:
Dean Cosker, David Gilbert, Ranjan Madugalle, Andrew Pycroft, Richie Richardson, Javagal Srinath.

Umpires:
Roland Black, Chris Brown, Kumar Dharmasena, Chris Gaffaney, Adrian Holdstock, Richard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough, Wayne Knights, Donovan Koch, Jayaraman Madanagopal, Nitin Menon, Sam Nogajski, KNA Padmanabhan, Allahuddien Paleker, Ahsan Raza, Leslie Reifer, Paul Reiffel, Langton Rusere, Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, Gazi Sohel, Rod Tucker, Alex Wharf, Raveendra Wimalasiri, Asif Yaqoob.