Sri Lankan duo part of historic all-female panel at CWC25
Nimali Perera
Sri Lanka will take centre stage at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 when two of its own take their place in an unprecedented all-female panel of match officials. The ICC announced that Michelle Pereira, a former Sri Lanka cricketer, has been appointed as a match referee, while Nimali Perera, a former domestic player, will serve as an umpire at the tournament.
This is the first time in Women’s World Cup history that the entire Emirates ICC Panel of Match Officials – 14 umpires and four match referees – will be female. The event, to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from September 30, is being hailed as a defining moment for women’s cricket.
Michelle Pereira
For Sri Lanka, the inclusion of Pereira and Perera is a proud breakthrough. Pereira joins the referee panel alongside Trudy Anderson, Shandré Fritz and G.S. Lakshmi, while Perera will feature among a distinguished group of umpires that includes Claire Polosak, Jacquline Williams, Sue Redfern, Lauren Agenbag, and Kim Cotton.
The ICC has previously appointed all-women officiating teams for the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the last two ICC Women’s T20 World Cups, but this will be the first time such a panel stands at the sport’s flagship 50-over tournament.
ICC Chairman Jay Shah described the initiative as more than symbolic. “The inclusion of an all-women panel of match officials is a powerful reflection of the ICC’s commitment to gender equity. It creates meaningful role models who can inspire future generations,” he said.
As the Women’s World Cup returns to Sri Lankan shores for the first time in over two decades, the presence of two Sri Lankan women among the trailblazing panel adds a special dimension to what promises to be a historic tournament.
| Emirates ICC Panel of Match Officials | |
| Match Referees: Trudy Anderson, Shandré Fritz, G.S. Lakshmi, Michelle Pereira Umpires: Lauren Agenbag, Candace la Borde, Kim Cotton, Sarah Dambanevana, Shathira Jakir Jesy, Kerrin Klaaste, Janani N, Nimali Perera, Claire Polosak, Vrinda Rathi, Sue Redfern, Eloise Sheridan, Gayathri Venugopalan, Jacquline Williams |