New Delhi: England’s Richard Illingworth and Alex Wharf are set to officiate in the T20 World Cup 2026 final between India and New Zealand on Sunday, confirmed the ICC on Friday. The Men in Blue and the Kiwis lock horns in the final of the 10th edition of the marquee T20 spectacle at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 8.
Meanwhile, Illingworth will take charge of his second consecutive men’s T20 World Cup final having stood alongside Chris Gaffaney in the 2024 edition final. His impressive recent record of appointments continued, having also stood in the men’s 2023 ODI World Cup final and the men’s 2025 Champions Trophy summit clash.
Illingworth joins Wharf
He will be joined by compatriot Wharf, who will oversee his first senior ICC World Cup final. Previously, the English umpire stood at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 and ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 events before joining the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Umpires last year.
The duo also officiated together in the middle for New Zealand’s semifinal match against South Africa on Wednesday. They will be supported by third umpire Allahuddien Paleker and fourth umpire Adrian Holdstock, both South Africans. The match referee for the summit clash will be Andy Pycroft of Zimbabwe. Meanwhile, Paleker was elevated to the Elite Panel of Umpires alongside Wharf in March 2025 and has stood in six matches during the tournament.
While India would be eyeing their third title, New Zealand would battle it out hard for their maiden T20 World Cup title. This is only the second time that the Kiwis have reached the final of the global ICC event, after having made it to the final in the 2021 edition which was won by Australia. On the other hand, India would be aiming their third title, after 2007 and 2024 and also eyeing to become the first team to defend it.