Women's ODI World Cup: First all-female refereeing panel in history
The upcoming Women's ODI World Cup will mark a turning point in international cricket. For the first time, the tournament will feature an all-female umpiring panel, a historic step toward gender equality in the sport. The tournament will be played from September 30 to November 2 in India and Sri Lanka.
The ICC confirmed the appointment of four female main umpires and 14 female field and TV umpires from nine countries. The match officials will include Trudy Anderson (New Zealand), Shandre Fritz (South Africa), GS Lakshmi (India), and Michelle Perera (Sri Lanka).
The judging team includes veteran World Cup participants such as Sue Redfern (England), Claire Polosak and Eloise Sheridan (Australia), Jacqueline Williams (West Indies), and Kim Cotton (New Zealand), among others. Polosak, Williams, and Redfern will be competing in their third WODI World Cup, while Agenbag and Cotton will be competing for the second time.
Historic record in women's cricket
This will be the tournament with the largest female presence in ICC umpiring, surpassing the previous record set at the 2024 T20 World Cup in the UAE by five members. While recent events such as the 2022 Commonwealth Games and recent T20 World Cups have featured an all-female panel, this has never happened before in an ODI World Cup.
Statements and expectations for the tournament
ICC Chairman Jay Shah highlighted this development as “a defining moment in the history of women's cricket” and a reflection of the organization's commitment to gender equality. The 13th edition of the tournament will open with India facing Sri Lanka, while reigning champions Australia will debut against New Zealand. Matches will be played in Guwahati, Indore, Visakhapatnam, Navi Mumbai, and Colombo, with the final scheduled for November 2.
