ICC announces umpires and match referees for Champions Trophy 2025

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed the umpiring and match refereeing panel for the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025, to be held in Pakistan and the UAE from February 19 to March 9.

The tournament, which will feature eight of the world’s best cricketing nations, will be played across four historic venues: Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi in Pakistan, as well as Dubai in the UAE.

A 12-member panel of umpires has been selected, with several veterans returning from the 2017 edition. Richard Kettleborough, who officiated the final of the 2017 Champions Trophy, will be part of the team.

Kettleborough, a 108-ODI veteran, will be joined by fellow umpires Chris Gaffaney, Kumar Dharmasena, Richard Illingworth, Paul Reiffel, and Rod Tucker, who all officiated the 2017 tournament.

Dharmasena will extend his remarkable record of officiating 132 One-Day Internationals, the most by a Sri Lankan umpire in this format.

The panel also includes Michael Gough, Adrian Holdstock, Ahsan Raza, Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, Alex Wharf, and Joel Wilson, all of whom have previous experience in major tournaments, including the 2023 Cricket World Cup.

David Boon, Ranjan Madugalle, and Andrew Pycroft will serve as the match referees for the tournament. Boon, who officiated the 2017 final, and Madugalle, who was part of the 2013 final, will bring decades of experience to the role.

The 2025 Champions Trophy will be divided into two groups: Group A, which consists of Pakistan, India, New Zealand, and Bangladesh; and Group B, made up of Afghanistan, South Africa, England, and Australia. Pakistan’s opening match will be against New Zealand on February 19 in Karachi, while a high-stakes match between Pakistan and India is set for February 23 in Dubai.

The final will be held in Lahore, but if India qualifies, it will be moved to Dubai. A reserve day has been arranged to mitigate any potential weather issues, ensuring the grand finale goes ahead smoothly.