India and Pakistan to clash in CT 2025 on February 23 in Dubai.
For the highly-anticipated India versus Pakistan clash in the 2025 Champions Trophy, to be played on February 23 in Dubai, the ICC has named Paul Reiffel and Richard Illingworth as the on-field umpires.
Michael Gough will be the TV umpire for India's game against Pakistan on February 23 at the Dubai International Stadium, Adrian Holdstock will be the fourth umpire, and David Boon will serve as the Match Referee.
The ICC announced the officials for all 12 Champions Trophy league games, including Richard Kettleborough and Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, who will serve as on-field umpires in the 2025 Champions Trophy opener between Pakistan and New Zealand in Karachi on February 19.
Joel Wilson will be the TV umpire, Alex Wharf the fourth umpire, and Andrew Pycroft the match referee, as the tournament returns for the first time since Pakistan won the title in England in 2017.
For India's fixtures, Reiffel and Holdstock will be on-field umpires for the match against Bangladesh on February 20 in Dubai, with Illingworth as the TV umpire, Michael Gough as the fourth umpire, and Boon as the referee.
Gough and Illingworth will be on-field umpires for India's match against New Zealand in Dubai on March 2, with Holdstock as TV umpire, Reiffel as fourth umpire, and Boon as match referee.
The top eight teams will compete in 15 matches over 19 days in Pakistan and the UAE. Group A contains Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and New Zealand, while Group B includes Afghanistan, England, Australia, and South Africa.
Pakistan is also hosting its first global cricket tournament since the Men's ODI World Cup in 1996. India and Australia are the most successful teams in the Champions Trophy, having won it twice.
Full match officials’ schedule for 2025 Champions Trophy group stages:
Bangladesh v India, February 20 – Dubai
On-field umpires: Adrian Holdstock and Paul Reiffel
TV umpire: Richard Illingworth, Fourth umpire: Michael Gough, Match Referee: David Boon
Afghanistan v South Africa, February 21 – Karachi
On-field umpires: Alex Wharf and Rodney Tucker
TV umpire: Richard Kettleborough, Fourth umpire: Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, Match Referee: Ranjan Madugalle
Australia v England, February 22 – Lahore
On-field umpires: Joel Wilson and Chris Gaffaney
TV umpire: Kumar Dharmasena, Fourth umpire: Ahsan Raza, Match Referee: Andrew Pycroft
Pakistan v India, February 23 – Dubai
On-field umpires: Paul Reiffel and Richard Illingworth
TV umpire: Michael Gough, Fourth umpire: Adrian Holdstock, Match Referee: David Boon
Bangladesh v New Zealand, February 24 – Rawalpindi
On-field umpires: Ahsan Raza and Kumar Dharmasena
TV umpire: Rodney Tucker, Fourth umpire: Joel Wilson, Match Referee: Ranjan Madugalle
Australia v South Africa, February 25 – Rawalpindi
On-field umpires: Richard Kettleborough and Chris Gaffaney
TV umpire: Alex Wharf, Fourth umpire: Kumar Dharmasena, Match Referee: Andrew Pycroft
Afghanistan v England, February 26 – Lahore
On-field umpires: Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid and Joel Wilson
TV umpire: Ahsan Raza, Fourth umpire: Rodney Tucker, Match Referee: Ranjan Madugalle
Pakistan v Bangladesh, February 27 – Rawalpindi
On-field umpires: Michael Gough and Adrian Holdstock
TV umpire: Paul Reiffel, Fourth umpire: Richard Illingworth, Referee: David Boon
Afghanistan v Australia, February 28 – Lahore
On-field umpires: Alex Wharf and Kumar Dharmasena
TV umpire: Chris Gaffaney, Fourth umpire: Richard Kettleborough, Match Referee: Andrew Pycroft
South Africa v England, March 1 – Karachi
On-field umpires: Rodney Tucker and Ahsan Raza
TV umpire: Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, Fourth umpire: Joel Wilson, Match Referee: Ranjan Madugalle
New Zealand v India, March 2 – Dubai
On-field umpires: Michael Gough and Richard Illingworth
TV umpire: Adrian Holdstock, Fourth umpire: Paul Reiffel, Match Referee: David Boon
(IANS inputs)