The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday announced that the upcoming Women’s Cricket World Cup will, for the very first time, be officiated entirely by women umpires and match referees in the tournament’s 50-over history.
The ICC noted that although the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and the last two Women’s T20 World Cups had all-female panels, this is the first occasion where the Women’s World Cup itself will feature such representation.
The 13th edition of the tournament will be staged in India and Sri Lanka from September 30, with 14 umpires — including Claire Polosak, Jacqueline Williams, Sue Redfern, Lauren Agenbag, and Kim Cotton — set to oversee matches. Polosak, Williams, and Redfern will be appearing in their third World Cup, while Agenbag and Cotton return for their second.
Alongside them, four female referees — Trudy Anderson, Shandré Fritz, GS Lakshmi, and Michell Pereira — will bring a wealth of experience to the event.
ICC Chairperson Jay Shah described the development as a landmark for the women’s game, stating:
“This is a defining moment for women’s cricket and one that will inspire many more trailblazing stories across the sport. The inclusion of an all-women officiating panel is not just symbolic; it reflects opportunity, visibility, and the creation of role models who can motivate future generations.”
He added that the initiative underlines the ICC’s commitment to gender equity in cricket and will leave a lasting impact far beyond this edition of the tournament.
Earlier this month, the ICC also confirmed a massive increase in prize money for the Women’s World Cup, raising the pool to $13.88 million — nearly 300% higher than the $3.5m awarded at the previous edition in New Zealand in 2022.
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