The appointments have been made from the Emirates ICC International Panels of Umpires and Referees, ensuring neutral and seasoned officiating as the tournament heads into its decisive phase.
The first semi-final, scheduled to be played in Bulawayo on Tuesday, 3 February, will see unbeaten sides Australia and England lock horns. Zahid Bassarath and India’s Virender Sharma will take charge as the on-field umpires for the contest. Bassarath officiated during England’s recent win against New Zealand, while Sharma has already been involved in Australia’s victories over Japan and Sri Lanka earlier in the competition.
Supporting them in the umpiring panel, Lubabalo Gcuma has been named as the third umpire, with Prageeth Rambukwella serving as the fourth umpire. The match referee for the fixture will be Prakash Bhatt of India, making it the only semi-final where Indian officials are part of the officiating team.
Attention then shifts to Harare, where the second semi-final between India and Afghanistan will be held on Wednesday, 4 February. Shaun Haig and Russell Warren have been appointed as the on-field umpires for the clash. Haig was previously in the middle for Afghanistan’s impressive group-stage wins against South Africa and the West Indies, while Warren officiated during India’s victories over the USA and Bangladesh.
Shawn Craig will act as the third umpire for the India-Afghanistan encounter, with Masudur Mukul taking up the role of fourth umpire. Graeme La Brooy has been named as the match referee for the fixture. Notably, there are no Indian officials involved in the officiating setup for this semi-final, maintaining complete neutrality for India’s knockout match.
Semi-Final 1: Bulawayo, Tuesday 3 February 2026
Australia v England
On-field Umpires: Zahid Bassarath & Virender Sharma
Third Umpire: Lubabalo Gcuma
Fourth Umpire: Prageeth Rambukwella
Match Referee: Prakash Bhatt
Semi-Final 2: Harare, Wednesday 4 February 2026
India v Afghanistan
On-field Umpires: Shaun Haig & Russell Warren
Third Umpire: Shawn Craig
Fourth Umpire: Masudur Mukul
Match Referee: Graeme La Brooy
With top-quality officiating teams in place, the ICC has ensured that both semi-finals will be conducted under strict adherence to the laws and spirit of the game as the race to the U19 World Cup final intensifies.