The ICC has named 17 umpires and 4 referees for the U19 Men’s World Cup 2026, starting Jan 15 in Zimbabwe and Namibia. The panel includes officials from 13 nations, featuring former players Deighton Butler and Graham Lloyd.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday announced the list of match officials for the upcoming ICC Men’s U19 World Cup 2026, which starts on January 15. A total of 17 umpires and four match referees from the Emirates ICC International Panels of Umpires and Referees have been appointed, with officials from over 13 different nationalities for the upcoming marquee tournament.
The panel will also see two officials from the host nation, Zimbabwe, with former player Forster Mutizwa set to officiate alongside compatriot Iknow Chabi. The umpiring panel also includes experienced figures, such as former West Indies player Deighton Butler and England’s Graham Lloyd. The four match referees are Dean Cosker of England, Prakash Bhatt of India, Graeme Labrooy of Sri Lanka and Neeyamur Rahul of Bangladesh.
A Springboard for Careers
The ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta said: “This ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup is a tremendous opportunity for rising stars in the game to shine, but it is also an invaluable reward system for up-and-coming match officials. He added: “We hope that this will be the perfect springboard for their careers as we see them progress in their officiating journeys.”
The ICC Men’s Under-19 ODI Cricket World Cup 2026 is set to be played from January 15 to February 6 in Zimbabwe and Namibia, with young cricketers from all around the globe set to make a case for themselves on the world stage.
Complete List of Match Officials
Match officials for the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026: Umpires: Ahmad Shah Durrani (Afghanistan), Aidan Seaver (Ireland), Cory Black (New Zealand), Deighton Butler (West Indies), Faisal Afridi (Pakistan), Forster Mutizwa (Zimbabwe), Graham Lloyd (England), Iknow Chabi (Zimbabwe), Lubabalo Gcuma (South Africa), Masudur Mukul (Bangladesh), Nitin Bathi (Netherlands), Prageeth Rambukwella (Sri Lanka), Russell Warren (England), Shaun Haig (New Zealand), Shawn Craig (Australia), Virender Sharma (India), Zahid Bassarath (West Indies)
Referees: Dean Cosker (England), Graeme La Brooy (Sri Lanka), Neeyamur Rahul (Bangladesh), Prakash Bhatt (India). (ANI)
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