Dubai: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that the 2025 ICC Women’s World Cup will, for the first time in history, be officiated entirely by an all-female panel of match officials.
The tournament, scheduled to take place in India and Sri Lanka from September 30, will feature 14 women umpires and four women match referees from the Emirates ICC Panel of Match Officials.
While all-female panels have previously overseen the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and the two most recent ICC Women’s T20 World Cups, this marks a first for the Women’s World Cup.
Among the 14 umpires named, Claire Polosak, Jacqueline Williams, and Sue Redfern will each be officiating in their third Women’s World Cup. Lauren Agenbag and Kim Cotton will return for their second appearance, having stood in the 2022 final where Australia clinched a record seventh title.
The match referees’ panel comprises Trudy Anderson, Shandré Fritz, GS Lakshmi, and Michell Pereira, all of whom bring diverse experience to the tournament’s 13th edition.
ICC Chairman Jay Shah hailed the announcement as a landmark for women’s cricket and a step toward greater gender equity in the sport.
“This marks a defining moment in the journey of women’s cricket, one that we hope will pave the way for many more trailblazing stories across all facets of the sport,” Shah said. “The inclusion of an all-women panel of match officials is not only a major milestone but also a powerful reflection of the ICC’s unwavering commitment to advancing gender equity across cricket,” Shah remarked.
He added that the initiative was not merely symbolic but aimed at creating visibility, opportunity, and role models for aspiring officials worldwide. “By highlighting excellence in officiating on the global stage, we aim to spark aspiration and reinforce that leadership and impact in cricket know no gender,” he said.
