CHENNAI: Not only ICC Elite Panel umpire Nitin Menon, match referee Javagal Srinath is set to skip the upcoming ICC Men's Champions Trophy scheduled to be held in Pakistan and Dubai from February 19 to March 9. It is learnt that both opted out due to personal reasons. This after India team refused to play in Pakistan due to security reasons.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday has confirmed the match officials for the tournament with the above-mentioned two names conspicuous by their absence. It is understood that both have cited personal reasons to skip the tournament.
The 12 umpires named by the ICC are Kumar Dharmasena, Chris Gaffaney, Michael Gough, Adrian Holdstock, Richard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough, Ahsan Raza, Paul Reiffel, Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, Rodney Tucker, Alex Wharf and Joel Wilson. David Boon, Ranjan Madugalle and Andrew Pycroft are the match referees announced by the global body.
It should be noted that India had refused to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy citing security concerns following which the ICC adopted a hybrid model with the Rohit Sharma and Co playing their all matches in Dubai. If they reach the final, it will also be held in Dubai. Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi will host matches during the Pakistan leg.
Given the situation, the hosts Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was also forced to skip the captain's meet and photo shoot ahead of the tournament with Indian captain Sharma not travelling to Pakistan.
Umpire Menon along with former India pacer Srinath could not have officiated in Dubai leg due to the ICC's policy of appointing neutral umpires for its events.
Kettleborough, a veteran of 108 men’s ODIs, and who stood in the final of the last edition played in the United Kingdom in 2017, is among six umpires who return for another Champions Trophy. Gaffaney, Dharmasena, Illingworth, Reiffel and Tucker, all members of the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires, are others who also featured in 2017.
Kettleborough and Illingworth, who stood together for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 final in Ahmedabad, are joined by Gough, Holdstock, Raza, Ibne Shahid, Wharf and Wilson, all of whom officiated at the World Cup in India.
Among the match referees, Boon was referee in the 2017 final while Pycroft also officiated in the tournament. Madugalle returns after officiating the 2013 final.
“We are pleased to announce our panel of match officials for the upcoming Men’s Champions Trophy. This is a credentialled officiating team whose expertise will be valuable in this high-profile tournament. We always try to name the most suitable and deserving officials for any event, and we are confident this group will do a fine job across the matches in Pakistan and the UAE," said Sean Easey, ICC Senior Manager — Umpires and Referees in an ICC statement.