Dubai: The International Cricket Council has announced the appointment of an all-female panel of match officials for the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, marking a significant step towards gender equality in the sport. The panel consists of ten umpires and three match referees, who will oversee the matches throughout the tournament. Claire Polosak and Lauren Agenbag will officiate as on-field umpires in the opening match on 3 October, where Bangladesh will take on Scotland.

According to International Cricket Council, Sue Redfern has been designated as the TV umpire for the first game, with GS Lakshmi serving as the match referee. The tournament will commence with a double-header, as Kim Cotton and Eloise Sheridan are set to umpire the second game between Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Further highlights of the umpiring schedule include the high-profile India versus Pakistan match on 6 October, officiated by Sheridan and Agenbag. The tournament will also feature other critical match-ups such as Australia defending their title against Sri Lanka and later New Zealand, with various umpires including Redfern and Anna Harris participating. The appointments for the two semi-finals and the final, however, remain unannounced.