Umpires For T20 Lined Up

DALLAS, TX (IANS) – Shahid Saikat and Richard Illingworth have been confirmed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to be on-field umpires in the upcoming Men’s T20 World Cup opening match between the US and Canada on June 1.

Saikat will become the first Bangladeshi umpire to officiate at an ICC Men’s T20 World Cup when he stands in the USA-Canada tournament opener at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, Texas.

He will be joined by Illingworth, who won the David Shepherd Trophy for ICC Umpire of the Year for the third time in 2023 and took charge of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup final between India and Australia in 2023.

India umpire Jayaraman Madanagopal’s Men’s T20 World Cup debut will be later on June 2 when Namibia and Oman go head-to-head in Barbados. The first of Allahudien Paleker’s four on-field group games will be between the USA and Pakistan on June 6, while fellow debutant Asif Yaqoob will line up alongside Nitin Menon for England’s clash with Scotland on June 4.

Illingworth and Rodney Tucker will be the on-field umpires for the eagerly-awaited Group A clash between India and Pakistan in New York on June 9, with Chris Gaffaney as the TV Umpire.

Chris Gaffaney and Alex Wharf will be on-field umpires in India’s opening match of the tournament against Ireland on June 5, with Kettleborough as the TV Umpire.