In a major strategic disclosure on January 30, 2026, the ICC confirmed the high-caliber panel of match officials tasked with overseeing the opening phase of the Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. A total of 24 on-field umpires and six match referees have been selected to manage the 55-match tournament across India and Sri Lanka.
Legendary match officials chosen for crucial India-Pakistan T20 World Cup 2026 fixture
This group stage panel features a massive depth of experience, with veteran officials assigned to the most critical ‘triple-header’ opening day and the tournament’s most explosive rivalries. The ICC has officially disclosed that the high-stakes India vs Pakistan clash on February 15 in Colombo will be officiated by two of the most respected names in the game. Richard Illingworth and Kumar Dharmasena have been appointed as the on-field umpires for the Group A blockbuster. Dharmasena, a 1996 World Cup winner for Sri Lanka, is a veteran of 37 T20 World Cup matches and has stood in the finals of both the 2016 and 2022 editions. Illingworth, who officiated the 2024 final, brings similar elite-level composure to what is expected to be the most-watched match of the year.
Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 opening day assignments
The tournament’s opening day on February 7 will serve as a backdrop for several significant officiating landmarks:
- The First Match (Pakistan vs. Netherlands): Dharmasena will stand with Wayne Knights in Colombo. This will mark Knights’ first-ever T20 World Cup appearance and his 50th T20 International as an on-field official.
- Kolkata Encounter: Nitin Menon and Sam Nogajski will take charge of Scotland vs West Indies. Menon, who officiated the 2024 semi-final, is entering the tournament on the back of a historic milestone: today, January 31, 2026, he will become the first Indian umpire to officiate 150 international matches during the final T20I between India and New Zealand in Thiruvananthapuram.
- Mumbai Triple-Header: As India faces the USA later that evening, Paul Reiffel and Rod Tucker will be in the middle. Tucker currently leads all officials with 46 T20 World Cup appearances and is set to bring up his half-century (50 matches) during the tournament, including games like England vs Nepal and India vs Namibia.
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Full list of T20 World Cup 2026 group stage match officials
Match Referees:
Dean Cosker, David Gilbert, Ranjan Madugalle, Andrew Pycroft, Richie Richardson, and Javagal Srinath.
On-Field Umpires:
Roland Black, Chris Brown, Kumar Dharmasena, Chris Gaffaney, Adrian Holdstock, Richard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough, Wayne Knights, Donovan Koch, Jayaraman Madanagopal, Nitin Menon, Sam Nogajski, KNA Padmanabhan, Allahuddien Paleker, Ahsan Raza, Leslie Reifer, Paul Reiffel, Langton Rusere, Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, Gazi Sohel, Rod Tucker, Alex Wharf, Raveendra Wimalasiri, and Asif Yaqoob.
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