The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that the upcoming Women’s Cricket World Cup will be officiated by an all‑female panel of umpires and referees — a first in the history of the 50‑over tournament. This major step underscores the ICC’s commitment to gender parity and the growing presence of women in all facets of the sport.
all‑female panels of match officials
While previous events — such as the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the most recent Women’s T20 World Cups — featured all‑female panels of match officials, no 50‑over World Cup has done so until now. The 13th edition of the Women’s World Cup will be held in India and Sri Lanka, starting September 30.
A group of 14 umpires has been named for the tournament, including veterans like Claire Polosak, Jacqueline Williams, Sue Redfern, as well as Lauren Agenbag and Kim Cotton. Polosak, Williams, and Redfern will each make their third appearance in a Women’s World Cup; Agenbag and Cotton will be appearing for the second time.
In addition to the umpiring panel, there will be four match referees overseeing the event: Trudy Anderson, Shandré Fritz, G.S. Lakshmi, and Michell Pereira — all bringing a range of experience to the role.
Significance & Broader Impacts
ICC chairperson Jay Shah called the move a “historic moment” for women’s cricket, saying this milestone not only celebrates achievement in officiating, but also reflects the organization’s dedication to gender equity in the sport. He emphasized that having an all‑woman panel is more than symbolic — it’s about creating visibility, opportunity, and role models who can inspire the next generation.
The ICC also recently announced a dramatic increase in prize money for the Women’s World Cup: total prize money will now be USD 13.88 million, a jump of 297% compared to the USD 3.5 million offered in the 2022 edition in New Zealand.
