International Cricket Council to develop roadmap for integrating female umpires onto top panels

The International Board of Cricket is developing a plan to increase the number of female umpires on its panel. There are presently just men on the panel. This choice was made after the ICC successfully hosted a Women's T20 World Cup with a team made up entirely of female match officials. ICC is now trying to allow female umpires officiate in international matches including males as well.

The ICC wants to make cricket umpiring gender-neutral. Adding extra female officials to some of the men's bilateral matches is their first order of business. The goal, according to a source from the ICC, is to let both men and women to serve on the Elite panel. Also, they will be helped by the chances offered to members during their home games.

The ICC hopes to include women officiating in men's ICC competitions, taking a cue from the recent FIFA World Cup in Qatar where women officiated matches effectively. Now, the ICC has two umpire panels: Elite and International. Nowadays, umpires for women's international bilateral matches are chosen by the event's organising body.

The scheme is presently in its infancy, according to information provided by an influential Indian newspaper. There is a good chance that it will be covered during the forthcoming ICC cricket committee meeting.