Experienced umpires to take charge of opening match at Women's World Cup 2025

Published - 20 Sept 2025, 14:18 IST | Updated - 20 Sept 2025, 14:18 IST

International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the match-wise appointments of the ICC Panel of Match Officials for the league phase of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025.

The experienced Australian duo of Claire Polosak and Eloise Sheridan will be the on-field umpires for the opening match between India and Sri Lanka in Guwahati where the eight-team tournament gets underway on September 30.

Polosak is appearing at her third ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup while her compatriot Sheridan was part of the team at the last edition in New Zealand three years ago.

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The two are no strangers to trailblazing achievements. In 2018, they became the first pair of female umpires to stand in a competitive match in Australia, while five years later they were the first female officials to take charge of a Sheffield Shield encounter.

Polosak and Sheridan will be joined in the opening fixture by TV Umpire Kim Cotton and fourth Umpire Shathira Jakir Jesy, while Shandré Fritz will be the match referee.

Sue Redfern and Gayathri Venugopalan will be the on-field umpires for the following day’s clash between Australia and New Zealand, while Lauren Agenbag and Nimali Perera will take the field for Bangladesh’s clash with Pakistan on October 2.

Agenbag took charge of the 2022 final alongside Kim Cotton, whose first match as an on-field umpire this time around will be India’s match against South Africa on October 9.

In total, the all-female panel of match officials contains four match referees and 14 umpires, featuring women from nine countries.

The appointments for the semifinals will be announced at the end of the round-robin league and those for the final once the finalists are confirmed.

Match Referees: Trudy Anderson, Shandré Fritz, GS Lakshmi, Michelle Pereira.

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