ODI World Cup 2023: Kumar Dharmasena and Nitin Menon are slated to officiate as on-field umpires for the opening match

The opening match of the ODI World Cup 2023 will witness Kumar Dharmasena and Nitin Menon who have been selected as the on-field umpires for the match. The match will feature England and New Zealand. This match, a repeat of the unforgettable final from four years ago, will also see the involvement of TV umpire Paul Wilson and fourth umpire Shahid Saikat, with match referee Javagal Srinath overseeing proceedings.

Dharmasena is no stranger to World Cup history, having made history in 2015 as the first person to both play and umpire in a Men’s 50-over Cricket World Cup final. On the other hand, Menon will be officiating in his first match of the ODI Cricket World Cup match, and Shahid will become the first umpire from Bangladesh to participate in the competition.

In total, the Apex Cricket Council has announced a team of 20 officials, consisting of 16 umpires and four match referees for the World Cup. Among these, 12 are part of the Emirates Elite Panel of Umpires. Notably, six of the 16 umpires are making their debut in the ODI Cricket World Cup, while three are returning officials who have previously umpired in World Cup finals.

The World Cup will see some quality officials from the game

Several officials are also returning from the Men’s T20 World Cup 2022, with Shahid and Alex Wharf being the only ones who did not officiate in the Australian tournament. Other returning umpires include Dharmasena, Marais Erasmus, Richard Kettleborough, Rod Tucker, Chris Gaffaney, Michael Gough, Paul Reiffel, Richard Illingworth, and Joel Wilson.

Nitin Menon is the youngest umpire at the age of 39, represents host nation India, and joins the group of umpires making their World Cup debut, which includes Shahid, Ahsan Raza, Adrian Holdstock, Wharf, and Chris Brown.

The four-match referees for the tournament are all former international players: Jeff Crowe, Andy Pycroft, Richie Richardson, and Javagal Srinath. This team of officials will play a crucial role in ensuring fair and smooth cricket matches throughout the ODI Cricket World Cup 2023.

Match Officials for ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023:

Umpires: Chris Brown (New Zealand), Kumar Dharmasena (Sri Lanka), Marais Erasmus (South Africa), Christopher Gaffaney (New Zealand), Michael Gough (England), Adrian Holdstock (South Africa), Richard Illingworth (England), Richard Kettleborough (England), Nitin Menon (India), Ahsan Raza (Pakistan), Paul Reiffel (Australia), Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid (Bangladesh), Rodney Tucker (Australia), Alex Wharf (England), Joel Wilson (West Indies) and Paul Wilson (Australia).

Match Referees: Jeff Crowe (New Zealand), Andy Pycroft (Zimbabwe), Richie Richardson (West Indies) and Javagal Srinath (India).