Source ICC
COLOMBO/AHMEDABAD – The International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially announced the match officials for the high-stakes Super Eight stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. As the tournament shifts into high gear across India and Sri Lanka, a select group of 16 umpires and 4 match referees has been tasked with overseeing the battle for the semi-final spots.
The Super Eight phase is set to begin on Saturday, February 21, with a Group 2 clash between New Zealand and Pakistan at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
Opening Assignments
Veteran Australian umpires Rodney Tucker and Paul Reiffel will be the on-field officials for the opening Super Eight fixture. They will be supported by:
TV Umpire: Allahudien Paleker
Fourth Umpire: Sam Nogajski
In Group 1, the action kicks off with a blockbuster repeat of the 2024 final as co-hosts India face South Africa in Ahmedabad on February 22. The experienced duo of Richard Kettleborough and Chris Gaffaney will lead the on-field officiating for that encounter.
The Full Panel of Officials
The ICC has trimmed the initial group stage panel to focus on a “best-of-the-best” lineup for the remaining 12 matches of this round.
Match Referees:
The oversight of the Super Eight matches will be shared among four legendary figures:
Ranjan Madugalle
Javagal Srinath
Richie Richardson
Andrew Pycroft
Umpires for the Super Eight:
The 16-man umpiring panel features a mix of seasoned veterans and rising stars:
Australia: Rodney Tucker, Paul Reiffel, Sam Nogajski
England: Richard Kettleborough, Richard Illingworth, Alex Wharf
India: Nitin Menon, Jayaraman Madanagopal
South Africa: Adrian Holdstock, Allahudien Paleker
Pakistan: Ahsan Raza, Asif Yaqoob
New Zealand: Chris Gaffaney, Chris Brown
Sri Lanka: Kumar Dharmasena
Bangladesh: Shahid Saikat
Key Matchups and Officials
Date Match On-Field Umpires Venue
Feb 21 NZ vs PAK Rodney Tucker & Paul Reiffel Colombo
Feb 22 IND vs SA Richard Kettleborough & Chris Gaffaney Ahmedabad
Feb 23 ZIM vs WI Richard Illingworth & J. Madanagopal Mumbai
Feb 26 IND vs ZIM Alex Wharf & Richard Kettleborough Chennai
Mar 1 IND vs WI Chris Gaffaney & Alex Wharf Kolkata
Note: Zimbabwe has emerged as the “giant killer” of the tournament, qualifying for the Super Eight at the expense of Australia. They will be overseen by Richard Illingworth and Jayaraman Madanagopal in their opening second-round clash against the West Indies.
The Super Eight stage concludes on March 1, after which the officials for the semi-finals and the grand final will be announced based on performance and neutral country requirements.
