Kumar Dharmasena and Nitin Menon to Umpire ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 Opener
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed that Kumar Dharmasena and Nitin Menon will be the on-field umpires for the opening match of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. The clash between England and New Zealand is scheduled to take place on October 5 in Ahmedabad. In a statement, the ICC announced, “Kumar Dharmasena and Nitin Menon will serve as on-field umpires for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 opener between England and New Zealand.”
A Repeat of the Unforgettable Final
The group stage clash between England and New Zealand is a repeat of the unforgettable final from four years ago. This time, Kumar Dharmasena and Nitin Menon will be joined by TV umpire Paul Wilson, fourth umpire Shahid Saikat and match referee Javagal Srinath. Dharmasena, who made history in 2015 as the first person to both play and umpire in an ICC Men’s 50-over Cricket World Cup final, will bring his wealth of experience to the match. On the other hand, Menon will be standing in his first ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup match, marking a significant milestone in his career. Shahid will also make history as the first umpire from Bangladesh to officiate in the competition. They are all part of the team of 20 announced by the ICC to oversee the World Cup contests. This team consists of 16 umpires and four match referees, including 12 umpires from the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires.
Stepping Up and Returning Umpires
The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 will see six of the 16 umpires stepping up to officiate in the tournament for the first time. On the other end of the scale, three umpires will be returning, having previously umpired in finals. Additionally, 14 umpires who officiated in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 will be returning, with Shahid and Alex Wharf being the only ones who did not officiate in Australia. Apart from Dharmasena, Marais Erasmus and Richard Kettleborough will also make their return. Erasmus and Dharmasena were the on-field umpires for both the 2019 final at Lord’s and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 final. Rod Tucker, the third umpire in the final four years ago, will also be part of the officiating team, making it a total of three out of the four officials from the 2019 showpiece returning.
Returning Umpires and Debutants
Other umpires returning from previous tournaments include Chris Gaffaney, Michael Gough, Paul Reiffel, Richard Illingworth, and Joel Wilson. Nitin Menon, who is the youngest umpire at the tournament at the age of 39, will be making his ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup debut. He will be joined by Shahid, Ahsan Raza, Adrian Holdstock, Wharf, and Chris Brown in making their first appearances in the tournament. The four match referees, Jeff Crowe, Andy Pycroft, Richie Richardson, and Javagal Srinath, are all former international players, bringing a wealth of experience to their roles.
Match Officials for ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023
The match officials for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 have been confirmed by the ICC, consisting of a team of umpires and match referees. The list of umpires includes Chris Brown (New Zealand), Kumar Dharmasena (Sri Lanka), Marais Erasmus (South Africa), Christopher Gaffaney (New Zealand), Michael Gough (England), Adrian Holdstock (South Africa), Richard Illingworth (England), Richard Kettleborough (England), Nitin Menon (India), Ahsan Raza (Pakistan), Paul Reiffel (Australia), Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid (Bangladesh), Rodney Tucker (Australia), Alex Wharf (England), Joel Wilson (West Indies), and Paul Wilson (Australia). The four match referees are Jeff Crowe (New Zealand), Andy Pycroft (Zimbabwe), Richie Richardson (West Indies), and Javagal Srinath (India).
The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 promises to be an exciting event with experienced umpires returning and newcomers making their debut in the prestigious tournament. The umpires and match referees will play a crucial role in ensuring fair play and upholding the spirit of the game throughout the tournament.