ICC Announces Match Officials for WTC Final Between Australia and South Africa

The ICC has named the officials for the World Test Championship (WTC) Final between Australia and South Africa. The match will be played at Lord’s in London from June 11 to 15.

Gaffaney and Illingworth to Umpire On-Field

Chris Gaffaney of New Zealand and Richard Illingworth of England will be the on-field umpires for the WTC Final. This will be Illingworth’s third straight WTC Final. He also stood in the finals of 2021 and 2023 and is the current ICC Umpire of the Year. Gaffaney was also part of the 2023 WTC Final and the T20 World Cup Final that year.

Richard Kettleborough, also from England, will serve as the third umpire. He has officiated in many major ICC tournaments and was the TV umpire in the 2021 WTC Final between India and New Zealand.

Two Indians Join the Official Panel

India’s Nitin Menon will be the fourth umpire for the WTC Final. This will be his first time officiating in a WTC Final. He has earlier worked as the TV umpire in the T20 World Cup Final in 2021.

Former Indian pacer Javagal Srinath will be the match referee for the big match. He brings vast experience and has officiated in many international games over the years.

ICC Chairman Backs the Officials

ICC Chairman Jay Shah praised the selection of experienced officials for the final. “We are pleased to announce an experienced team of match officials for the ICC World Test Championship Final at Lord’s, marking the culmination of a highly competitive two-year cycle,” Shah said.

He added, “We strive to select the most qualified and deserving officials for all matches. We are confident they will perform well and wish them the best.”

The WTC Final promises to be a high-voltage clash between two top teams, with world-class officials set to oversee the action at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground.

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