Three Indians in historic all-female match officials panel for Women’s ODI World Cup

September 11, 2025

Dubai: In a historic first, the 2025 ICC Women’s ODI World Cup will be officiated entirely by an all-women panel of match referees and umpires, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Thursday.

Three Indians — GS Lakshmi (match referee), Vrinda Rathi and Gayathri Venugopalan (umpires) — are part of the 18-member panel.

A First in Women’s Cricket

This is the first-ever Women’s ODI World Cup to be overseen entirely by female officials, and the fourth global cricket tournament to feature an all-women officiating panel after the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and the last two ICC Women’s T20 World Cups.

The 13th edition of the tournament, hosted by India from September 30 to November 1, will see 31 matches played over 33 days, with eight teams competing for the coveted trophy.

Experienced Officials on Duty

The officiating team features some of the most respected women in world cricket:

• Umpires: Claire Polosak, Jacqueline Williams, and Sue Redfern — each making their third Women’s World Cup appearance.
• Lauren Agenbag and Kim Cotton, who stood in the 2022 final when Australia won their seventh title, also return alongside Eloise Sheridan.
• Match referees: Trudy Anderson, Shandre Fritz, GS Lakshmi, and Michell Pereira — each bringing significant international experience.

ICC Chairman Hails “Defining Moment”

ICC Chairman Jay Shah called the move a “defining moment” for women’s cricket, stressing that it represents more than symbolic progress.

“This development is about visibility, opportunity, and role models. By highlighting excellence in officiating on the global stage, we aim to inspire future generations. The influence of this initiative will resonate far beyond this tournament,” Shah said.

Full List of Match Officials

Match Referees:
Trudy Anderson, Shandre Fritz, GS Lakshmi, Michell Pereira.

Umpires:
Lauren Agenbag, Candace la Borde, Kim Cotton, Sarah Dambanevana, Shathira Jakir Jesy, Kerrin Klaste, Janani N, Nimali Perera, Claire Polosak, Vrinda Rathi, Sue Redfern, Eloise Sheridan, Gayathri Venugopalan, Jacqueline Williams.