T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 Match Officials Named — Full Umpires & Referees List

The ICC has officially announced the match officials for the Super 8 stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, which begins on February 21 in Colombo. A total of 16 umpires and 4 match referees from the Emirates ICC Elite Panel and the ICC Emerging Umpires Group will oversee all 12 Super 8 matches.

Super 8 starts Feb 21. Experienced officials confirmed. Gaffaney — who did the 2024 final — takes charge of India vs South Africa again.

Full Match Officials List — Super 8

Plenty of experience across the board — these are some of the most respected names in international cricket officiating.

Who Officiates Which Key Match

Group 2 — Sri Lanka Venues

NZ vs PAK — Feb 21, Colombo (Opening Super 8 Match) On-field umpires: Rodney Tucker & Paul Reiffel TV Umpire: Allahudien Paleker | Fourth Umpire: Sam Nogajski

This is the first Super 8 clash of the tournament. Tucker and Reiffel are two of the most experienced umpires on the Elite Panel — the perfect pair to kick off the knockout stage.

SL vs ENG — Feb 22, Pallekele On-field umpires: Adrian Holdstock & (partner TBC) Holdstock, the South African umpire, also takes charge of England vs New Zealand on February 27 in the same venue cluster.

SL vs NZ — Feb 25, Colombo On-field umpires: Allahudien Paleker & Asif Yaqoob

ENG vs PAK — Feb 24 On-field umpires: Sam Nogajski & Nitin Menon Nogajski gets a big one here — England vs Pakistan is one of the marquee Group 2 clashes.

SL vs PAK — Feb 28, Kandy On-field umpires: Rodney Tucker & Sam Nogajski Tucker makes his second Super 8 appearance, this time for what could be a crucial Group 2 decider.

Group 1 — India Venues

IND vs SA — Feb 22, Ahmedabad (The Big One) On-field umpires: Chris Gaffaney & Richard Kettleborough TV Umpire: Alex Wharf | Fourth Umpire: Chris Brown

This is the standout appointment of the entire Super 8. Chris Gaffaney officiated the 2024 T20 World Cup final — and now he’s back for what many consider the pre-tournament final rematch between India and South Africa. Kettleborough alongside him is another Elite Panel stalwart. This is as experienced an umpiring pair as you’ll see anywhere in world cricket.

ZIM vs WI — Feb 23, Wankhede On-field umpires: Richard Illingworth & Jayaraman Madanagopal Zimbabwe’s Super 8 journey begins here — and it’s a tough opener against an in-form West Indies side.

WI vs SA — Feb 26 On-field umpires: Kumar Dharmasena & Shahid Saikat Dharmasena brings a special milestone into this match — he recently stood for his 50th T20I as an umpire when Australia played Oman in the final group game. The Sri Lankan legend, a 1996 ODI World Cup winner as a player, continues to serve the game at the highest level.

IND vs ZIM — Feb 26, Chennai On-field umpires: Alex Wharf & Richard Kettleborough

ZIM vs SA — Mar 1, Delhi On-field umpires: Kumar Dharmasena & Richard Illingworth

IND vs WI — Mar 1, Eden Gardens, Kolkata (Final Super 8 Match) On-field umpires: Chris Gaffaney & Alex Wharf Gaffaney gets the last Super 8 match too — a potential title-decider in Group 1 at one of cricket’s most iconic venues.

For all match timings, venues and the complete Super 8 schedule, everything is updated live.

Kumar Dharmasena’s Special Milestone

One of the stories behind the officials list is Kumar Dharmasena’s 50th T20I as an umpire. He reached the milestone during Australia vs Oman in the group stage. Dharmasena is a living legend of Sri Lankan cricket — a player who helped win the 1996 ODI World Cup and then transitioned into one of the most respected umpires in the game. Officiating at a home World Cup in Sri Lanka makes this milestone even more meaningful.

Why These Appointments Matter

The ICC doesn’t pick officials randomly. For high-stakes knockout cricket, experience and composure under pressure are essential. A wrong DRS call, a contentious no-ball, or a tight run-out decision can change the course of a World Cup match. These 16 umpires represent the best in the business.

The decision to give Gaffaney India vs South Africa — the rematch of the 2024 final — shows the ICC’s confidence in him for the biggest occasions. He handled that final with authority, and the same calm authority will be needed on February 22 in Ahmedabad.

Check all Super 8 team profiles and what each squad looks like heading into the knockout stage as the tournament reaches its most exciting phase.

Match Referees — The Four in Charge

The four match referees overseeing the Super 8 are Ranjan Madugalle, Andrew Pycroft, Richie Richardson, and Javagal Srinath — four former international cricketers with decades of combined officiating experience. Between them they have handled some of cricket’s biggest occasions and most controversial moments.

Stay across all Super 8 news, results and updates as the knockout stage gets underway from February 21.

FAQs

Q: Who are the umpires for India vs South Africa in Super 8? Chris Gaffaney and Richard Kettleborough are the on-field umpires for India vs South Africa on February 22 in Ahmedabad. Alex Wharf is TV Umpire.

Q: Who officiated the T20 World Cup 2024 final? Chris Gaffaney officiated the 2024 final — and has been appointed again for India vs South Africa in the 2026 Super 8, a rematch of that final.

Q: Who are the match referees for T20 WC 2026 Super 8? The four match referees are Ranjan Madugalle, Andrew Pycroft, Richie Richardson, and Javagal Srinath.

Q: What milestone did Kumar Dharmasena reach at T20 WC 2026? Dharmasena stood for his 50th T20I as an umpire during Australia vs Oman in the final group stage match of the tournament.

Q: Who are the umpires for NZ vs PAK in the Super 8? Rodney Tucker and Paul Reiffel are the on-field umpires for the opening Super 8 match between New Zealand and Pakistan on February 21 in Colombo.

Q: How many umpires are officiating the Super 8 stage? A total of 16 umpires from the Emirates ICC Elite Panel and ICC Emerging Umpires Group are officiating across all 12 Super 8 matches.