Colombo: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the match officials for the group stage of the Men's T20 World Cup 2026, set to commence on February 7. A total of 24 umpires and six referees will oversee the matches, with appointments for the Super Eight and knockout stages to be disclosed at a later date.

According to International Cricket Council, the opening match between Pakistan and the Netherlands at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground in Colombo will feature Kumar Dharmasena and Wayne Knights as on-field umpires. This match will mark Knights' debut at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, while Dharmasena, a veteran of the tournament, will continue to build on his extensive experience. Dharmasena has officiated in 37 matches at previous T20 World Cups, including the finals in 2016 and 2022.

Knights will achieve a significant career milestone by officiating his 50th T20 International as an on-field umpire during the Group A clash. Meanwhile, the Group C encounter between Scotland and the West Indies in Kolkata will see Nitin Menon and Sam Nogajski in charge. On the same day, in Mumbai, Paul Reiffel and Rod Tucker will officiate the India versus USA match.

Tucker, who leads the chart with 46 appearances at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, is poised to officiate several key matches, including fixtures involving England, India, and South Africa. Chris Gaffaney and Richard Illingworth, who partnered in the 2024 final, will reunite for the Group B match between Australia and Ireland on February 11. Illingworth will also officiate, alongside Dharmasena, during the highly anticipated India versus Pakistan match on February 15 in Colombo.