- 24 on-field umpires and six match referees appointed
- Kumar Dharmasena and Wayne Knights to oversee opening clash in Colombo
- Officials for Super Eight and knockout stages to be announced later
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed the appointments of match officials for the group stage of the Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, kicking off on 7 February. A total of 24 umpires and six match referees will oversee the opening phase, with many bringing extensive international experience to the marquee tournament. Officials for the Super Eight and knockout rounds will be announced in due course.
The tournament opens at Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo, where Kumar Dharmasena and Wayne Knights will stand as on-field umpires for the Group A clash between Pakistan and the Netherlands. Dharmasena, a member of Sri Lanka’s 1996 World Cup-winning team, has officiated in 37 T20 World Cup matches, including the 2016 and 2022 finals. Knights will mark his 50th T20 International as an on-field umpire during the fixture, making it a memorable milestone.
In Group C, Nitin Menon and Sam Nogajski will take charge of Scotland vs West Indies in Kolkata on the opening day. Menon officiated the first semi-final of the 2024 T20 World Cup between Afghanistan and South Africa, while Nogajski oversaw four matches at the previous edition, including India vs USA. Later that day, Paul Reiffel and Rod Tucker will preside over the Group C clash between India and USA in Mumbai. Tucker, the most experienced official in T20 World Cup history, is set to record his 50th match appearance during the tournament.
Other key appointments include Chris Gaffaney and Richard Illingworth for Australia vs Ireland in Group B on 11 February. Illingworth, alongside Dharmasena, will also be on-field for the highly anticipated India vs Pakistan group-stage fixture in Colombo on 15 February.
With a blend of experience and emerging talent among the officials, the ICC has ensured that the tournament’s matches will be overseen by some of the best umpires in world cricket, setting the stage for a high-quality, fair competition across all group-stage fixtures.
Match Officials at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026
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.
