ICC announces all-female panel to officiate at upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup

In a historic move, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced an all-female panel to officiate during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup scheduled to begin in February 2023.

In the history of ICC global tournaments, there has never been an occasion when an all-female panel has been assigned such responsibility but in the global event slated to happen in South Africa, 13 officials – 10 umpires and three referees – will all be women.

Reflection of intent: ICC officials thrilled with all-female panel move

“This announcement is a reflection of our intent… and just the start of our journey where men and women enjoy the same opportunities across our sport,” ICC General Manager – Cricket, Wasim Khan said as reported by icc-cricket.com.

Wasim Khan mentioned that, ” in an era where gender equality is still the major talking point in the world of sport, the ICC wants to set an example for the whole world in this regard”. He further went on to add that, “each and every official of the honourable panel, be it the umpires, commentators or match referees will be given equal and ample amount of opportunities and facilities. We are committed to continuing to support our female match officials and provide opportunities to showcase their talents on the global stage. I wish them all the best for the tournament,” he added.

Another prominent face of women’s cricket and former India cricketer, Snehal Pradhan, who is currently the ICC manager for women’s cricket also shared her take on the historic move by the game’s global governing body.

“When young women and girls see it, they believe that they can be it. That’s just one of the reasons why having this match officials panel is so special. It shows the next generation that there is a career and a pathway that takes them to the very top of the game, the World Cup, even if you’re not a player. It shows that there are so many ways to get involved,” Pradhan said.