By Zainab Shafiq 
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced Shahid Saikat and Richard Illingworth as the stand-in umpires for the T20 World Cup opener. The first match of the tournament will feature the USA taking on Canada on June 1 in Dallas.
Shahid Saikat will make history as the first Bangladeshi umpire to officiate at the Men’s T20 World Cup. Saikat is no stranger to the international stage, having officiated in five matches during the previous T20 World Cup. His experience also includes stints in two ICC Women’s Cricket World Cups and the 2018 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
Joining Saikat is Richard Illingworth, who was awarded the prestigious David Shepherd Trophy for ICC Umpire of the Year in 2023. Illingworth has an impressive resume, including officiating the ICC Men’s ODI Cricket World Cup final between India and Australia last year.
Richie Richardson has been appointed as the match referee for the opener, ensuring the game runs smoothly. Sam Nogajski will serve as the TV umpire, while Langton Rusere will act as the fourth umpire for the opening match. Nogajski is one of five umpires making their debut in a senior men’s tournament this June.
In other matches, Rashid Riaz will make his first appearance as an umpire in the second match between Papua New Guinea and the West Indies in Guyana. Andy Pycroft will celebrate a milestone by officiating his 150th T20I in this match. Jayaraman Madanagopal will debut as an umpire in the Namibia vs. Oman match in Barbados. Allahudien Paleker will officiate his first on-field group game between the USA and Pakistan, while Asif Yaqoob and Nitin Menon will make their debut in the match between England and Scotland.
The highly anticipated Group A match between India and Pakistan on June 9 will see Richard Illingworth and Rodney Tucker as the on-field umpires. The tournament will also feature experienced officials such as Kumar Dharmasena, Chris Gaffaney, Richard Kettleborough, and Joel Wilson. The appointments for the knockout stages will be announced later.
Match Officials for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024:
Umpires: Chris Brown, Kumar Dharmasena, Chris Gaffaney, Michael Gough, Adrian Holdstock, Richard Illingworth, Allahudien Paleker, Richard Kettleborough, Jayaraman Madanagopal, Nitin Menon, Sam Nogajski, Ahsan Raza, Rashid Riaz, Paul Reiffel, Langton Rusere, Shahid Saikat, Rodney Tucker, Alex Wharf, Joel Wilson, and Asif Yaqoob.
Match Referees: David Boon, Jeff Crowe, Ranjan Madugalle, Andrew Pycroft, Richie Richardson, and Javagal Srinath.
Also, see:
Pakistan announce T20 World Cup 2024 squad