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Here’s why no Indian match officials will officiate in Champions Trophy 2025

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The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday announced the list of match officials for the Champions Trophy 2025, however, no Indian umpires or referees made the cut for the tournament.

According to Indian media reports, match referee Javagal Srinath and umpire Nitin Menon opted out of the tournament after ‘mutually agreeing’ with the ICC to withdraw from officiating in Pakistan.

While Srinath reportedly applied for leave and Menon cited personal reasons, their absence is believed to be due to their reluctance to travel to Pakistan.

With India playing all its group-stage matches in Dubai, neither official was eligible to officiate any of those games due to ICC’s policy of appointing neutral umpires for all its events. As a result, both match officials are set to miss the Champions Trophy.

A distinguished panel of 12 umpires will officiate the Champions Trophy, with six returning officials from the 2017 edition, including Richard Kettleborough, who stood in the final between Pakistan and India.

Kettleborough, a veteran of 108 Men’s ODIs, will be joined by fellow umpires Chris Gaffaney, Kumar Dharmasena, Richard Illingworth, Paul Reiffel, and Rod Tucker, who also officiated in the 2017 tournament.

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Dharmasena will be extending his stint of officiating 132 ODIs at the upcoming tournament, a record for an umpire from Sri Lanka in the One-Day format.

Kettleborough and Illingworth, who both stood together during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 final in Ahmedabad.

They are joined by Michael Gough, Adrian Holdstock, Ahsan Raza, Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, Alex Wharf, and Joel Wilson, all of whom officiated at the World Cup in India.

The panel of match referees will be led by David Boon, Ranjan Madugalle, and Andrew Pycroft, all esteemed members of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees.

Boon officiated the 2017 Champions Trophy final, while Madugalle returns after officiating the 2013 final, and Pycroft also featured in the 2017 tournament.

Match Officials: Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena, Chris Gaffaney, Michael Gough, Adrian Holdstock, Richard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough, Ahsan Raza, Paul Reiffel, Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, Rodney Tucker, Alex Wharf, Joel Wilson.

Match Referees: David Boon, Ranjan Madugalle, Andrew Pycroft.

READ: Double blow for Australia as key fast bowlers ruled out of Champions Trophy 2025

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