Umpires Announced for World Test Championship Final at Lord's
World Test Championship Final Umpires Revealed
Dubai [UAE], May 23: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed that Chris Gaffaney from New Zealand and England's Richard Illingworth will serve as on-field umpires for the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) final. This highly anticipated match is scheduled to take place at Lord's from June 11 to 15, featuring a showdown between Australia and South Africa.
This final marks the climax of an intense two-year Test cycle, culminating in a fierce battle for the prestigious mace.
Illingworth, who has been a consistent figure in major Test matches, was also part of the officiating team during the finals in 2021 and 2023. He has recently been honored as the ICC Umpire of the Year, winning the David Shepherd Trophy for the fourth time in 2024.
Gaffaney previously collaborated with Illingworth during last year's ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Final and officiated in the WTC 2023 Final between India and Australia.
Illingworth is set to make history by being the only on-field umpire to have officiated in all three World Test Championship Finals.
Richard Kettleborough, another English umpire with extensive experience in ICC events, will take on the role of TV umpire. He previously served in this capacity during the WTC 2021 Final between India and New Zealand.
India's Nitin Menon has been appointed as the fourth umpire for this final, marking his first appearance in a World Test Championship Final after serving as the TV umpire for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Final in 2021.
The match will be overseen by the seasoned Indian match referee Javagal Srinath.
ICC Chairman Jay Shah expressed his confidence in the selected officials, highlighting their experience and qualifications. He stated, “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 of Test matches played around the world. We strive to select the most qualified and deserving officials for all matches, and we are confident they will perform admirably. On behalf of the ICC, I wish them all the best and hope they enjoy this assignment.”