Dubai: Former Indian bowler and ICC referee Javagal Srinath and umpire Nitin Menon will not go to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Menon refused to go to Pakistan citing personal reasons. At the same time, Srinath has said in a conversation with a newspaper that he had sought leave from the ICC during the Champions Trophy as he was away from home for the series for the last four months.
The tournament is to be held in Pakistan and Dubai from February 19 to March 9. This time the Champions Trophy is being played in a hybrid model. All the matches of Team India will be played in Dubai.
Nitin Menon will not go to Pakistan
According to a PTI report, a source in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said, Menon has decided not to travel to Pakistan. He withdrew his name due to personal reasons.
Menon could not umpire in Dubai due to ICC rules. According to the rules, in any match between two teams, umpires from their respective countries cannot be there. India will play all the matches in Dubai, so he could not umpire in these matches.
According to reports, the ICC wanted to include Menon in the Champions Trophy roster but he decided not to travel to Pakistan due to personal reasons.
Nitin Menon’s career
Nitin Menon has umpired in 40 Tests so far. In these, he has been a field umpire 30 times and a TV umpire 10 times. Menon has umpired in 75 ODI matches. He has also umpired in 75 T-20 matches.
ICC released the list of 12 umpires and 3 match referees for Champions Trophy.
After Menon’s refusal, ICC released the list of umpires for Champions Trophy. Names of 12 umpires and 3 match referees have been announced in this list. No Indian is included in this. However, ICC did not comment on Menon. ICC said in its statement, a panel of 12 umpires will umpire in this eight-team tournament, out of which six umpires were included in 2017.
Umpires who officiated in the Champions Trophy are Kumar Dharmasena, Chris Gaffney, Michael Gough, Adrian Holdstock, Richard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough, Ahsan Raza, Paul Reiffel, Sharafuddullah Ibne Shahid, Rodney Tucker, Alex Wharf, Joel Wilson
Match Referees: David Boon, Ranjan Madugalle, Andrew Pycroft