This all-female panel is another big step in ICC’s plan to grow women’s cricket worldwide. It will be the fourth global event to feature only women officials, after the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and the last two ICC Women’s T20 World Cups.
The 13th Women’s Cricket World Cup will be hosted in India, with eight teams playing 31 matches across 33 days for the title.
For the tournament, ICC has chosen 14 umpires and four match referees, all of whom bring strong international experience, to represent the Emirates ICC Panel.
The umpire team has well-known names like Claire Polosak, Jacqueline Williams, and Sue Redfern, all taking part in their third Women’s World Cup. Lauren Agenbag and Kim Cotton, who were on the field in the 2022 final where Australia won their seventh trophy, are also back, along with Eloise Sheridan from that same tournament.
The group of match referees includes Trudy Anderson, Shandré Fritz, GS Lakshmi, and Michell Pereira. All of them continue to inspire and create opportunities for women in top-level cricket officiating.
ICC Chairman Jay Shah said this historic step in women’s cricket will open the door for many more success stories across the sport.
“This is a historic moment for women’s cricket, and we hope it will inspire many more success stories in the sport. Having an all-women panel of match officials is not just a big milestone, but also shows the ICC’s strong commitment to gender equality in cricket.
This step is more than just symbolic—it creates visibility, gives opportunities, and builds role models who can inspire future generations. By showcasing women’s excellence in officiating on the world stage, we want to encourage ambition and prove that leadership in cricket has no gender.
We are proud to mark this new chapter in women’s cricket. We believe this move will have a lasting impact, encouraging more women worldwide to become officials and showing that much more is possible in the game.”
Inspiring the Next Generation of Women Cricket Officials
The ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 will feature four match referees: Trudy Anderson, Shandré Fritz, GS Lakshmi, and Michell Pereira. The umpiring team includes 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, and Jacqueline Williams.
The ICC is committed to helping international match officials improve and succeed through its High Performance Officiating Programme. This program gives officials access to ICC umpire coaches, works closely with officiating managers from full member boards, tracks performance using full-time data and video analysts, and includes regular reviews both online and at ICC headquarters in Dubai.
Having an all-female panel is a major milestone, showing the ICC’s dedication to professionalism and growth in women’s cricket. As fans focus on India in 2025, this historic moment will inspire young cricket officials and players, motivating the next generation to pursue careers in officiating and continue building the women’s game.
FAQ
What historic announcement has the ICC made for the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup?
The ICC has appointed an all-female panel of match officials, including umpires and referees, for the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup.
How many umpires and referees are part of this panel?
The panel includes 14 umpires and 4 match referees, all with significant international experience.
Who are some of the notable officials in this panel?
Experienced officials include Claire Polosak, Jacqueline Williams, Sue Redfern, Lauren Agenbag, Kim Cotton, and Eloise Sheridan.
Has an all-female panel been appointed for other ICC tournaments before?
Yes, previous all-female panels were appointed for the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the last two ICC Women’s T20 World Cups.
