New Delhi, Feb 5 (IANS): The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday revealed a list of 12 umpires and three match referees as match officials for the 2025 ICC Men’s Champions Trophy, happening from February 19 to March 9 in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.

The tournament will take place in four venues: Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi in Pakistan, and Dubai in the UAE. In a statement, the ICC said a distinguished panel of 12 umpires will officiate the eight-team event, with six of them returning after officiating in the 2017 edition.

That includes Richard Kettleborough, who stood in the final of the previous Champions Trophy in the United Kingdom in 2017. 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 won by Pakistan.

Dharmasena will be extending his stint of officiating 132 ODIs at the upcoming tournament, a record for an umpire from Sri Lanka in the ODIs. Kettleborough and Illingworth, who both stood together during the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup final between India and Australia in Ahmedabad, are joined by Michael Gough, Adrian Holdstock, Ahsan Raza, Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, Alex Wharf, and Joel Wilson - all of whom officiated in the mega event in India.

The panel of match referees for 2025 Champions Trophy will be led by David Boon, Ranjan Madugalle, and Andrew Pycroft, all esteemed members of the ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees. Boon officiated in the 2017 Champions Trophy final between India and Pakistan, while Madugalle returns after officiating the 2013 final between India and England, while Pycroft also featured in the 2017 tournament.

“We are pleased to announce this highly credentialed team of match officials for the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025. Their collective expertise and experience will be invaluable in ensuring the tournament runs smoothly.”

“We always strive to appoint the most deserving officials for such prestigious events, and we are confident that this group will do an outstanding job in both Pakistan and the UAE. We wish them all the best for a memorable tournament,” said Sean Easey, ICC Senior Manager – Umpires and Referees.

The two-week competition will see the top eight teams feature in 15 matches across 19 days. Group A features Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and New Zealand, while Group B includes Afghanistan, England, Australia, and South Africa.

Hosts Pakistan enter the competition as defending champions after last winning the title in 2017 in England, and they will open the 2025 tournament against New Zealand in Karachi on February 19.

The tournament is also the first global cricket competition Pakistan is hosting since the Men’s ODI World Cup in 1996. India and Australia are the two most successful sides in the Champions Trophy, having won it twice.

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.