The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced a landmark achievement: the Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, scheduled in India and Sri Lanka from September 30, will feature an entirely female panel of umpires and match officials for the first time in tournament history.
The match referee panel comprises four experienced officials—Shandre Fritz, Trudy Anderson, GS Lakshmi, and Michell Pereira—each bringing a wealth of expertise to the competition. The 14-member umpiring panel includes seasoned names such as Claire Polosak, Jacqueline Williams, and Sue Redfern, all appearing at their third Women’s World Cup. Joining them are Lauren Agenbag and Kim Cotton, officiating their second World Cup after being part of Australia’s record seventh Women’s World Cup-winning campaign in New Zealand in 2022.
While all-female officiating panels have previously appeared at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and the last two ICC Women’s T20 World Cups, this marks the first time such a panel will be deployed at a Women’s World Cup.
ICC Chairman Jay Shah hailed the move as a defining moment for women’s cricket, emphasising its potential to inspire greater female participation and pave the way for future trailblazers in the sport. “The inclusion of an all-women panel of match officials is not only a major milestone but also a powerful reflection of the ICC’s unwavering commitment to advancing gender equity across cricket,” he said.
All eight teams have confirmed their squads for the tournament, with Sri Lanka being the last to announce. The Islanders will face co-host India in the opening match on September 30 at Guwahati’s Barsapara Stadium.
Match Officials for Women’s World Cup 2025
Umpires: 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, Jacqueline Williams
Match Referees: Trudy Anderson, Shandre Fritz, GS Lakshmi, Michell Pereira