India's Srinath, Menon among five match officials for WTC final

IANS May 23, 2025 180 views

The International Cricket Council has announced an experienced team of match officials for the upcoming World Test Championship final at Lord's. Former Indian pacer Javagal Srinath will serve as match referee, while elite umpire Nitin Menon takes the fourth umpire role. Richard Illingworth makes cricket history by becoming the first umpire to officiate in all three World Test Championship finals. The match, featuring Australia and South Africa, represents the culmination of a highly competitive two-year Test cricket cycle.

"We strive to select the most qualified and deserving officials" - Jay Shah, ICC Chairman
New Delhi, May 23: Experienced Indian match referee Javagal Srinath and elite umpire Nitin Menon have been named among the five match officials announced by the ICC for the World Test Championship final, set to be played between defending champions Australia and first-time finalists South Africa at Lord’s from June 11-15.

Key Points

1

Srinath to serve as match referee for prestigious WTC final

2

Nitin Menon appointed fourth umpire for Lord's clash

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Richard Illingworth makes history as three-time WTC final umpire

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Experienced international officials selected for high-profile match

While Srinath, the former India pacer, will be the match referee, Menon has been named the fourth umpire for the 2025 WTC final. It will be the first time Menon will be a match official in a WTC final, after having served as the TV umpire for the 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final between Australia and New Zealand in Dubai.

New Zealand’s Chris Gaffaney and England’s Richard Illingworth will be serving as the on-field umpires for the highly-anticipated title clash for the glittering mace. Illingworth was also part of the officiating team in the 2021 and 2023 WTC finals. He is also the current holder of the ICC Umpire of the Year honour, after having won the David Shepherd Trophy for the fourth time in 2024.

Gaffaney had partnered with Illingworth in officiating 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final between India and South Africa at Barbados, and also officiated in the WTC 2023 Final between India and Australia at The Oval. Illingworth, meanwhile, will become the first umpire to stand in all three World Test Championship finals.

England’s Richard Kettleborough, who has officiated in the finals of several marquee ICC events, including the Men’s Cricket World Cup and the Champions Trophy, has been appointed as the TV umpire, after having played the same role in the WTC 2021 final between India and New Zealand in Southampton.

"We are pleased to announce an experienced team of match officials for the ICC World Test Championship final at Lord’s, marking the culmination of a highly competitive two-year cycle of Test matches played around the world.”

“We strive to select the most qualified and deserving officials for all matches, and we are confident they will perform admirably. On behalf of the ICC, I wish them all the best and hope they enjoy this assignment," said ICC Chairman Jay Shah.

Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
Great to see Indian officials getting recognition at the highest level! Srinath has been a fantastic match referee and Menon's rise has been impressive. Hope this inspires more young Indians to take up umpiring. 🇮🇳🏏
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Priya M.
While it's good to have Indian representation, I hope the ICC maintains neutrality in selection. Some might question if this is just token representation since India contributes so much to cricket revenue. The proof will be in how they perform under pressure!
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Amit S.
Nitin Menon has shown great composure in tough situations. Remember his decisions during the India-Australia series? Top class! Though I wish we had an Indian umpire in the on-field panel too. Maybe next time!
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Sneha R.
Srinath as match referee is perfect - he understands fast bowling better than anyone. But why always Lord's for WTC final? ICC should rotate venues, maybe Eden Gardens or MCG next time? Would be fair to all test nations.
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Vikram J.
Good selections overall. But ICC should consider having separate umpires for neutral matches. Illingworth officiating in 3 WTC finals seems too much - need fresh perspectives. Otherwise it becomes an 'old boys club'.
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Neha P.
As someone who followed Menon's journey from domestic cricket, this is so inspiring! Shows that hard work pays off. Hope BCCI now invests more in umpire training programs across India. We have the talent pool!

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Tags:
World Test Championship Cricket Javagal Srinath Nitin Menon ICC Lord's Australia South Africa