Williams, La Borde among all-female officials panel for 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup

 BIRMINGHAM, England (CMC):

When the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup begins at Edgbaston on June 12, West Indian officials Jacqueline Williams and Candace La Borde will take their place among an elite all-women panel of match officials, with Williams marking her fifth appearance and La Borde getting her first taste of T20 action on cricket’s grandest global stage.

Williams, one of the most respected umpires in international cricket, joins fellow veteran Kim Cotton as the pair prepare to reach the milestone of five T20 World Cups.

Together, they have overseen 19 matches at previous editions of the tournament, a testament to their consistency and command under pressure.

The 2026 tournament will see the third consecutive appointment of an all-female Emirates ICC International Panel of Match Officials, reflecting what the ICC calls “the remarkable growth of the women’s game” and a broader push for excellence across every facet of the sport.

The Jamaican Williams is part of a 14-strong umpiring roster that includes four debutants, including Trinidadian La Borde, Gayathri Venugopalan, Kerrin Klaaste and Shathira Jakir Jesy, all of whom also officiated at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025.

The group will be supported by four match referees, including returning officials Shandré Fritz, GS Lakshmi and Michell Pereira, with New Zealand’s Trudy Anderson completing the refereeing team.

Australian umpire Claire Polosak will stand in her sixth T20 World Cup, having already officiated 22 matches at the tournament, more than any other umpire.

ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta hailed the selections, noting that “comprehensive, holistic and evidence-based” assessments underpin the appointments. “We are delighted to see the progress made by these officials and the elevated standards of officiating they demonstrated during ICC CWC 2025,” he said.

CAPTION: Jacqueline Williams will celebrate reaching the milestone of five T20 World Cups.